The Montreal Impact can take a major step toward making some history on Wednesday night.
The Canadian side is getting set to take on Alajuelense at Olympic Stadium (8 pm ET, Fox Sports 2) in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions League semifinal series knowing that a victory (by as large a margin of goals as possible) would set them up nicely for the second leg on April 7 in Costa Rica.
In the process, the Impact hope to become the first Canadian side ever to qualify for the CONCACAF regional final.
Since the start of MLS in 1996, a total of 18 MLS sides have reached the semifinal stage of the Champions League (or Champions' Cup). But only four of those 18 teams were able to overcome the semifinal hurdle and make it to the final.
The Impact will attempt to become the fifth MLS team to accomplish the feat, four years after Real Salt Lake, who were the last MLS club to do it. In the 2010-'11 edition of the tournament, RSL downed Saprissa 3-2 on aggregate to advance to an epic final series against Mexican giants Monterrey.
Here's the complete list of previous MLS participants in the semifinal stage of CONCACAF's top club competition and the ensuing result (teams that advanced to the final are highlighted in bold):
1997: D.C. United (Lost to LA Galaxy 1-0)
1997: LA Galaxy (Beat D.C. United 1-0, lost to Cruz Azul 5-3 in the final)
1998: D.C. United (Beat Leon 2-0, beat Toluca 1-0 in the final)
1999: D.C. United (Lost to Necaxa 3-1)
1999: Chicago Fire (Lost to Alajuelense 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 tie)
2000: LA Galaxy (Beat D.C. United 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 tie, beat Olimpia 3-2 in the final)
2000: D.C. United (Lost to LA Galaxy 4-2 on penalties after a 1-1 tie)
2002: Kansas City Wizards (Lost to Morelia 7-2 on aggregate)
2004: Chicago Fire (Lost to Saprissa 3-2 on aggregate)
2005: D.C. United (Lost to UNAM Pumas 6-1 on aggregate)
2007: D.C. United (Lost to Chivas Guadalajara 3-2 on aggregate)
2007: Houston Dynamo (Lost to Pachuca 5-4 on aggregate after extra time)
2008: D.C. United (Lost to Pachuca 3-2 on aggregate)
2008: Houston Dynamo (Lost to Saprissa 3-0 on aggregate)
2010-11: Real Salt Lake (Beat Saprissa 3-2 on aggregate, lost to Monterrey 3-2 on aggregate in the final)
2011-12: Toronto FC (Lost to Santos Laguna 7-3 on aggregate)
2012-13: LA Galaxy (Lost to Monterrey 3-1 on aggregate)
2012-13: Seattle Sounders (Lost to Santos Laguna 2-1 on aggregate)
Will Montreal advance to the finals? Let us know what you think will happen in the comments below.
