Montreal Gazette

Impact-TFC rivalry returns to centre stage

Montreal hopes to solidify playoff spot heading into final regular-season games

- BILL BEACON

As much as they like to play it down, putting their winning streak on the line against Toronto FC will be a big deal for the Montreal Impact.

The soccer rivalry between Canada’s two biggest cities has been brewing since their meeting in the MLS Eastern Conference final last fall and will heat up again when Toronto visits Saputo Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

It is the first of three matchups in the next seven weeks, with games scheduled in Toronto on Sept. 20 and Oct. 15.

“I don’t look at Toronto, what I see is that we’re at home and we want to win this game for our fans and continue to move up the table and make the playoffs,” Impact defender Laurent Ciman said Wednesday. “That’s our ultimate goal.”

While first-place Toronto is on pace for the best record in MLS history, the Impact have taken advantage of a six-game stretch that includes five at home by putting together four wins in a row for the first time since 2013.

The wins vaulted the Impact into sixth place, the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, for the first time this season, but it remains a tight battle with Columbus and Atlanta.

Taking points against Toronto and in another home game on Sept. 2 over Chicago could solidify their position heading into the final eight games of the regular season.

“There will definitely be a playoff atmosphere for us and a mentality where we want to beat the best team in the league,” said coach Mauro Biello. “It’s important to be focused.

“They feel they can beat anybody right now. They’re going into difficult places and getting results, like this past week in Chicago (a 3-1 TFC win). It’ll be a big test for us. It’ll be a chance for us to measure ourselves against them, but at the same time we want to continue on this sequence and on getting results for our team.”

Beating Toronto, which took a 14-3-8 record into a Wednesday night match against Philadelph­ia, is a tall order. But the Impact have done well against the Reds on home turf.

The Impact’s 3-1 victory over Salt Lake on Saturday gave them three wins in an eight-day stretch. This time, Toronto will be playing a third game in eight days.

And the Impact look to be getting their game together after struggling through the first half of the season. Star midfielder Ignacio Piatti appears to be back to full speed after an adductor problem and has two goals in each of his last two games. And Piatti’s return to form gives playmaker Blerim Dzemaili an expert accomplice on attack.

Recent pickup Samuel Piette has given the club the energy, youth and skill it needed in the defensive midfield.

“In the first part of the season, there were some good performanc­es that could have gone our way and put us in a better position, but I think the fact that we have everybody healthy and everybody pushing each other are important reasons (for the streak),” said Biello. “And the addition of some players.

 ?? PAUL CHIASSON/THE CANADIAN PRESS/FILES ?? Impact defender Laurent Ciman, left, says Sunday’s game against the first-place Toronto FC is all about moving up in the MLS standings.
PAUL CHIASSON/THE CANADIAN PRESS/FILES Impact defender Laurent Ciman, left, says Sunday’s game against the first-place Toronto FC is all about moving up in the MLS standings.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Canada