- Toronto are 1-2-1 against Montreal since the Impact joined MLS
- TFC have conceded just three goals in their last five games
- Marco Di Vaio leads MLS with 10 goals, Montreal have scored just eight away from home all season.
On the eve of Independence Day in the USA, one heck of a battle is set to ensue north of the border in Canada.
There will be no love lost between Toronto FC and the Montreal Impact tonight, as the fierce rivals square off at BMO Field.
Montreal have had the upper-hand so far this season after winning their MLS encounter at the Olympic Stadium 2-1 early in the season, before rallying to beat Ryan Nelsen’s men 6-2 on aggregate in the Amway Canadian Championship semifinals.
Toronto will be without Kyle Bekker, Doneil Henry, Ashtone Morgan and Jonathan Osorio who are all on Gold Cup duty for the Canadian national team. Montreal have no such worries, although veteran defender Alessandro Nesta could have inadvertently announced his retirement from soccer at the end of this season ahead of the clash.
But TFC did have a boost earlier this week, as Scottish defender Steven Caldwell signed a new contract with Toronto after impressing during his short-term loan with the club. Caldwell, 32, has helped shore up TFC’s defense, who have conceded just three times in their last five games. During that stretch Toronto have a 1-2-2 record.
A win for the Reds tonight, watch on TSN in Canada from 7pm ET, would see them close the gap on Chicago to just three points but they have scored a measly nine goals at home all season, only D.C. United have scored fewer home goals in the whole of MLS.
Meanwhile Montreal are coming off the back of a wild defeat to the Colorado Rapids, as Tony Cascio’s dramatic late winner stunned the Eastern conference leaders. That 4-3 defeat to Colorado was down to defensive mistakes, according to head coach Marco Schällibaum. “My team had intensity, heart and a will to win,” he said. “But individual mistakes cost us the tie, and they’re a part of football. Maybe we wanted the win too much, but that’s my team: we absolutely wanted the three points.” Meanwhile Schällibaum was handed a one-game ban by the MLS Disciplinary Committee after his actions on the bench during the defeat.
No doubt Montreal will be favorites for the three points tonight, but after TFC dominated for large spells but couldn’t find the net against Real Salt Lake last time out, maybe their luck will change and a huge win in the 401 Derby.
OTHER NOTES: Since coming to MLS, the Impact have not won in Toronto, with two losses and a draw in three meetings in all competitions at BMO Field.
