Montreal Impact look to shift focus against Vancouver Whitecaps
After a deflating loss over the weekend against D.C. United in MLS play, the Montreal Impact have to quickly shift their focus to another competition that sees the Vancouver Whitecaps in town for a visit.
Montreal outshot D.C. 25-1 on Saturday yet somehow fell 1-0 to the Eastern Conference leader, and things don't get any easier for the Impact as Wednesday marks the first leg of the Canadian Championship against the West-leading Whitecaps.
It's a highly motivated Vancouver side that will visit Stade Saputo, as the 'Caps have never raised the Voyageurs Cup as Canadian champions despite competing for the trophy since its inception in 2002 as an informal prize for the best professional side in Canada. Montreal, on the other hand, has won the tournament for the past two years running, and has inscribed its name on the trophy a record nine times.
It's a trend that the Whitecaps are keen to reverse.
"Very much so, because we haven't won anything in this club and we want to win it," defender Pa Modou Kah told reporters in Vancouver when asked if the Canadian Championship is a priority for him and his teammates. "Toronto and Montreal have been winning [the Cup], so for us it's the first step in making history."
Amid a hectic month of August that sees the Whitecaps involved in three separate competitions, Vancouver head coach Carl Robinson said that his team will look different than the one that ran roughshod over Real Salt Lake over the weekend. However, he hinted that the changes to his lineup for Wednesday's clash wont be nearly as drastic as they were when the 'Caps faced Seattle in last week's CONCACAF Champions League group stage opener.
"It won't be the same team that played Saturday, that's what I can tell you. Obviously we'll see, some of the guys are banged up after the weekend," Robinson said. "We'll get some freshness in the team, but it won't be 11 changes."
Montreal boss Frank Klopas is expected to rotate some players throughout his lineup as well, but with the Impact playing at home on Wednesday and not having to take the field again until Aug. 22, he could be tempted to use his first choice squad.
Whether that also includes recent signing Didier Drogba remains to be seen, but Montreal could be boosted by the return of Justin Mapp, who was cleared to play Tuesday after a lengthy injury spell.
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