TORONTO – What to make of both Toronto FC and the Montreal Impact? Confounding seasons for both of them.
First, let’s deal with Montreal as they head into the second leg of their Amway Canadian Championship semifinal at BMO Field on Wednesday night. The Impact’s dramatic run to the CONCACAF Champions League final seems like a dim memory now. In fact the way that club performed was so unlike what we’re seeing from them in Major League Soccer.
After losing to Portland on the weekend, they must continue to look back to last September to find their previous league win. And yet somewhere along the way they fought their way through the Champions League and managed to beat Toronto 1-0 in the first leg of the Voyageurs Cup last week. They played great in the first half against Portland by the way, and then faded dramatically in the second half.
Wednesday, May 13 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
As for Toronto, their loss to Houston at the newly renovated BMO opener on the weekend was the opposite. TFC started slowly, very slowly, and then found another gear in the second half. Too late.
Since that game was played on Sunday, coach Greg Vanney has plenty to think about in terms of what kind of a lineup to throw out there for the return leg against Montreal as this game comes just three days before their next MLS match, away to the New England Revolution.
I would expect it to be similar to the first leg, meaning a mixture of veterans and bench players. But I also get the feeling Vanney is looking at this one a little differently given the loss to Houston.
There is no question making the MLS playoffs is priority one. Winning the Canadian Championship is secondary. And yet, as goalkeeper Chris Konopka said Tuesday after training, losing can be contagious and that’s a dangerous thing.
Vanney admits that, the Voyageurs Cup aside, this team simply needs to beat Montreal to help erase the stink that’s still attached to them. Having digested that defeat more thoroughly Vanney thinks that the team that showed up against the Dynamo was a product of its first seven road games.
In other words, TFC looked like team away from home, playing on the back foot, taking few chances and trying to eke out a result. It backfired, of course, and Vanney is determined not to let it happen again.
No news on the injury front. Still no Steven Caldwell and still no Mark Bloom. Goalkeeper Joe Bendik is getting “closer,” but watch for Konopka to play not only against Montreal but probably against New England on Saturday as well.
A legitimate question is, which goes first: Konopka’s consecutive games streak, which could stretch out to five, or his substantial beard? An upcoming family wedding may provide the answer. Apparently Mom is not amused by all the facial hair.
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