TORONTO – Toronto FC’s first match at new-look BMO Field didn’t go quite as planned. But the team will have a quick turnaround – and another shot at a home victory – on Wednesday night against the Montreal Impact in the second leg of their Amway Canadian Championship semifinal clash (7:30 pm ET, Sportsnet in Canada, MLS LIVE in US/Mexico).
Having won the Voyageurs Cup last season and subsequently finding success all the way to the CONCACAF Champions League final, Montreal are quite comfortable playing in this competition, according to Canadian midfielder Jonathan Osorio.
“You can definitely tell they’re very confident when it comes to this competition,” Osorio said at training Tuesday. “Making it to the final helps, but they’ve always been very good at this competition. Maybe their management puts in more motivation when it comes to this tournament. I’m not sure.
“But in the end, it’s not going to matter. We want to win this just as much as they do, maybe even more.”
For the Reds to advance, the team will need to overcome a 1-0 deficit from the first leg in Montreal. Osorio says he’s “100 percent” sure his side can pull it off.
TFC head coach Greg Vanney promised his starting XI would have some “mix-up, for sure,” in part due to the extensive number of minutes his side has played in recent weeks. But part of that squad rotation comes with dealing with continued absences due to injury: Steven Caldwell remains out, and right back Mark Bloom, now recovered from his previous injury, is now questionable with back spasms.
Starting goalkeeper Joe Bendik is also out of contention. But in his stead, Chris Konopka says he’s just enjoying his chance to play and taking things one game at a time.
“It looks like I’ll be getting five games within a two-week span,” Konopka said with a smile. “I haven’t had that since college.”
Konopka stepped in for Bendik a few weeks ago, playing his first TFC match against his former team and his hometown outfit the Philadelphia Union. Konopka described the match as an “emotional” one for himself, offering that it may have gotten the best of him at times. But he says he’s found the right pace now, and is looking forward to another test against the Impact in this second leg.
“Every game’s a new challenge,” Konopka said. “They’re going to bring a good team. This club wants to have a winning tradition. Winning is contagious. Losing is as well. Any time you have the chance to get on the pitch with a quick turnaround, especially after a loss, is a great opportunity to get back on the right foot.”
Vanney will be hoping that contagious winning form starts against Montreal, as he looks to re-establish his team’s home identity after so many weeks on the road to open the season.
“We need to go and put more into the game, try to create more, try to be more proactive on the attacking side and being harder to play against defensively,” Vanney said. “We’re down a goal, so it’s on us to go make the game. I like that. I think that’s what this team needs right now.”
