IMPACT SEEMS POISED FOR AN EARLY EXIT FROM MLS TOURNEY
While it seems unlikely the Impact is going to stay in Florida beyond next week, the bigger picture can’t be overlooked.
The opening three group-stage games at the MLS is Back tournament count in the regular-season standings. Montreal had a promising start to its season before the coronavirus pandemic suspended play, recording a victory and a draw. But since returning to the pitch at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex, the team has lost consecutive matches.
That, combined with a goal differential of minus-2, makes it highly unlikely the Impact’s Florida trip will last beyond Tuesday’s game (10:30 p.m.) against D.C. United. But, presumably, the regular season will resume in some shape or form when this tournament concludes on Aug. 11. Let’s not forget this club has failed to make the playoffs for three consecutive seasons. It needs points. And wins. “You have to think about the long run,” Repentigny midfielder Samuel Piette said following Thursday night’s crushing and bizarre 4-3 defeat to Toronto FC. “We don’t know what’s going to happen the rest of the season, but these games count in the rankings. We can’t afford to lose points just because we might be out of the tournament. We have to play every game like it’s our last.”
The tournament has been divided into six groups. The top two in each advance to the knockout stage, as well as the next four with the best records. Even with a victory on Tuesday, Montreal would have to fill the D.C. United net and hope for some luck. That’s a tall task.
“I don’t look at the standings,” Piette said. “I don’t know if we win the next game, if we’re able to go through. If we have a chance to go through, it would be good. If we can collect points for the standings for the rest of the season, that’s good.
“We didn’t start doing the math before the tournament and say we had to collect these amount of points. We just wanted to win every game. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.”
The Impact, lacklustre in last week’s 1-0 loss against New England, certainly couldn’t be blamed for a lack of intensity against the Reds. With 12 shots, including six on target, along with nearly 59 per cent possession, their mettle couldn’t be denied.
But Montreal had a full week’s rest, was playing a team that had opened its tournament Monday morning and should have been running on fumes, especially since Toronto made only one change to its starting lineup. Three goals — even if two came on penalties, including the latter in second-half added time — should be enough to win. Not, however, when you concede a mind-boggling four.
“Whoever makes the fewest mistakes will win,” a remarkably composed Impact manager Thierry Henry said. “Unfortunately, there have been more errors on our side. On (Toronto’s) goals, these are school mistakes. These are things that have been worked on, reworked and reworked. If we give goals like we did in the first half, it becomes difficult.
“Those types of mistakes happen in pre-season games . ... That doesn’t mean you have to concede them the way we did.”
Henry, as expected, toyed with his starting 11. Once again, like a week earlier, some of his decisions can be questioned.
Canadian Shamit Shome made his tournament debut at rightback when he’s normally more of a midfielder. Victor Wanyama, another midfielder, found himself playing central defence. The Impact was forced to play without Rudy Camacho, its best defender against the Revolution, who returned to Montreal to be with his wife, who is about to give birth.
The results were predictable. Glaring defensive mistakes, along with poor positioning and a lack of concentration, crippled the Impact. The team had no answer for the gifted Ayo Akinola. Only 20 years old, the Brampton, Ont. native scored three goals, giving him five in two tournament matches.
“We’re trying to find a way to be solid defensively. Unfortunately for us it didn’t work out,” Henry conceded. “We’re trying to find the right formula.”
It’s not all doom and gloom for the Impact. Emanuel Maciel made his debut at midfield and played a strong game, delivering a lovely long ball to Romell Quioto on Montreal’s first goal. Quioto’s speed also proved pivotal. He was tackled in the area, the Impact was awarded a penalty and it led to the first of Saphir Taïder’s two goals.
What must be determined is how much of this is related to the four-month layoff. Or is it the personnel?