Riding a modest two-game win streak at BMO Field, Toronto FC opens its defence of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship on Wednesday night at home to the Montreal Impact.
The game marks the first time the two clubs have met since the ‘Miracle in Montreal’ last June, when the Reds beat the Impact 6-1 in the tournament finale to wrest the NCC title away from Vancouver on goal differential.
You can watch Wednesday’s game between Toronto FC and the Montreal Impact on Sportsnet East and West at 8 p.m. ET.
“Montreal is a tough opponent and will be looking to come here and turn things around,” Toronto captain Dwayne De Rosario said on Sunday. “But we need to perform like we did (against Seattle) today.”
The Impact have yet to record a win in two tries this year, but did draw future MLS club Portland 1-1 in the home opener at Saputo Stadium on Sunday. While Montreal lost all four of its NCC games last year, the club claimed Canadian bragging rights in 2008 behind the goalkeeping of tournament MVP Matt Jordan.
“It is an important tournament now because we know where it leads,” De Rosario added. “We also know it is a tournament that we should win.”
The Reds have played well in its two home games thus far, recording a pair of wins while posting a plus-3 goal differential. Last year, Toronto won both its tournament home games in claiming the Voyageurs Cup, the silverware awarded to the winner of the NCC.
One player who has been a big part of the two wins at BMO Field is first-year Reds defender and Canadian Adrian Cann. The 29-year old signed with Toronto in April and has made stops at all three of the Canadian clubs involved in the tournament, and played for Vancouver in a 2-0 loss to Montreal back in 2008.
“I am looking forward to it, I know a bunch of the guys in Montreal and Vancouver, so it’ll be good times,” Cann said. “But that said it is time for us to take the Canadian Championship once again.”
The schedule maker has not been kind to Toronto early in the season as Wednesday’s match will be the fifth in 18 days for the club. Cann has played the full 90 minutes in three of the five, but will wait on word from head coach Preki regarding his status for the Montreal game on Wednesday.
“The fan base here gets you through the hard times on the field,” Cann said of playing so much early in the year. “That boost of adrenaline they provide is a big help.”
As for Preki, the coach keeps his cards very close to his chest and will go to extremes to protect any lineup secrets.
“If I tell you, well, I am going to have to kill you.”
All six of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship will be shown on Sportsnet East and West. The winner is determined by overall points and will go on to represent Canada in the CONCACAF Champions League.