The Amway Canadian Championship continues on Wednesday with the semifinal round.
While the Vancouver Whitecaps will host NASL side FC Edmonton in their first leg after being snowed out last week (more on that later), the Montreal Impact travel to Toronto to face the Reds in their second leg.
Here are a few things you should know about both of Wednesday’s games.
Wednesday programming alert: Watch Toronto FC vs. Montreal Impact on Sportsnet ONE and Sportsnet World at 7:30 pm ET and Vancouver Whitecaps vs. FC Edmonton on Sportsnet ONE and Sportsnet World at 10:00 pm ET. || Sportsnet World NOW || Broadcast schedule
Montreal in the driver’s seat
The Impact earned a 1-0 win over TFC in last week’s first leg in Montreal. As a result, the Impact only need a draw to advance to the final. Toronto requires a two-goal win to move on.
“They need to score at least one goal, so for us, defence will be priority number one,” Montreal goalkeeper Eric Kronberg told the team’s official website.
“I have a feeling it’s going to be fairly open on their side, pushing forward because they need to score, so hopefully we can catch them on the counter.”
Toronto needs to score
Defenders Steven Caldwell and Mark Bloom are still injured, while backup goalkeeper Chris Konopka will start again while Joe Bendik nurses a foot injury.
Coach Greg Vanney fielded what was essentially his “B team” in last week’s opening leg, but he could put out a stronger starting 11 on Wednesday night, with Sebastian Giovinco and Jozy Altidore seeing some playing time—they both sat out the first leg.
Regardless of who plays, Vanney wants to see his team play more aggressive than they did in Sunday’s 2-1 home loss to Houston in MLS.
“We’re down a goal. So it’s on us to go make the game a little bit,” Vanney told the Canadian Press. “For me I like that. I think that’s what this team needs right now.”
He later added: “We don’t have to be the exact same team on the road and at home. We can alter that. We have some high-quality players, they need to get more touches on the ball (and) not be in defensive mode as long.”
Snowed out in Edmonton
FC Edmonton was scheduled to host the Vancouver Whitecaps last Wednesday in the first leg. However, match officials and Canadian Soccer Association representatives postponed the match due to unplayable conditions at Clarke Field following a heavy snowfall in Edmonton.
As a result, Vancouver will host the first leg of the two-game semifinal at BC Place on Wednesday. The second leg will now be played in Edmonton on May 20 at Clarke Field.
Squad rotation for Whitecaps
Even before last week’s snowed out game, Whitecaps coach Carl Robison was expected to give several of his regular starters the night off, and give playing time to a number of his depth players.
Italian goalkeeper Paolo Tornaghi, who has yet to make his competitive debut for Vancouver since joining the team last year, was pegged as the starter for the opening leg in Edmonton.
Look for Tornaghi and other depth players to start in Wednesday’s clash in Vancouver.
“Six or seven of them are ready now to play and unfortunately I’ve been leaving them out of the team in MLS because the guys in those places have been doing very well,” Robinson told the team’s website.
“As I’ve said all along, I’ve got faith in my squad. There will be a change of faces … but the boys are ready. They’re very sharp and they want a chance. And they get a chance to play a competitive match in a tournament that we want to go and win.”
What’s at stake
The winner of this tournament will receive the Voyageurs Cup, which was originally funded and awarded by the Voyageurs, a Canadian soccer supporters group founded in 1996.
Since 2008, the Canadian Soccer Association has presented the Voyageurs Cup to the tournament champion.
The two-legged final is slated for Aug. 12 and 26.
The tournament winner will also qualify for the group stage of the 2016-17 CONCACAF Champions League.
History of the Voyageurs Cup
The Montreal Impact won every Voyageurs Cup from 2002-2007 when it was awarded to the best Canadian team in the old USL First Division.
A formal tournament was first held in 2008, a year after Toronto FC entered MLS. Montreal won the 2008 Cup to continue its dominance, but TFC won the next four tournaments in a row. The Impact are the reigning two-time champions.
Vancouver has never won the Voyageurs Cup.
Paul Dolan’s take
Every Friday, Sportsnet.ca chats with Sportsnet soccer commentator Paul Dolan—a former Canadian national team goalkeeper—about the big stories and issues in Major League Soccer.
As part of Dolan’s latest Q&A, we asked him for his take on Montreal’s win over Toronto in last week’s opening leg.
“It was an opportunity for some of the depth players on both clubs to post notice they should be challenging for more playing time, but aside from a few moments here and there I just didn’t see it from either team. Both sides played cautious and it appeared that outside of Michael Bradley there was no urgency to get the ball forward for Toronto with any purpose, and until the last ten minutes of the first half it was much the same for the Impact.
“I thought Montreal looked more dangerous when they committed another player forward as they switched to 4-4-2. Toronto was content to mirror what they have done in their last two road games in MLS and focus on defending first with everyone behind the ball.
“Understandably, with so many new faces in the line-ups, the ability to click with passes out of the back and through midfield was missing, and there was very little link-up play going forward but overall players I thought might spark the game with their chance to shine, didn’t.
“I think TFC are the favourites now at home with just the one goal to overturn if they elect to go with the heavy-hitters, although the home clean-sheet Montreal earned on Wednesday may prove to be the difference if the Impact can score at BMO.”
What’s next
All three MLS teams are in action again on Saturday. Montreal hosts Real Salt Lake in MLS play, while Toronto travels to New England and Vancouver welcomes Seattle
Edmonton plays hosts the San Antonio Scorpions on Sunday in NASL action.
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