CD HEREDIA VS. MONTREAL IMPACT
ESTADIO CEMENTOS PROGRESO, Guatemala City, Guatemala
August 21, 2013 (CONCACAF Champions League Group Stage)
10 pm ET (Sportsnet/TVA Sports in Canada)
GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala – The Montreal Impact head to Guatemala to take on CD Heredia in their second game of the CONCACAF Champions League group stage this Wednesday at 10 pm ET at Estadio Cementos Progreso, in Guatemala City. The game will be broadcast live on Sportsnet and TVA Sports.
This will be the Impact's first game on the road, after earning a 1-0 shutout victory over the San Jose Earthquakes at Stade Saputo on Aug. 7. In that win, defender Hassoun Camara scored a header off of a set piece free-kick taken by newcomer Hernán Bernardello in his first game with his new club.
Montreal booked their Champions League place as Amway Canadian Champions and were drawn into CCL Group 5 with the Earthquakes, winners of the 2012 MLS Supporters Shield, and Heredia, finalists in the Clausura championship after Communicaciones had already qualified for the CONCACAF Champions League.
The Impact won the first edition of the Canadian championship in 2008 and went on to reach the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal, winning the home leg against Mexican first division club Santos Laguna in front of 55,571 spectators at Olympic Stadium, on February 25, 2009.
The remaining two games of the group stage are set for September.
Montreal Impact news
The Impact will be playing the second of three matches in just eight days, hosting the Houston Dynamo in an Eastern Conference clash, next Saturday at Stade Saputo.
The Impact are undefeated in five straight home games over all competitions after last Saturday’s 2-1 victory over visiting D.C. United thanks to a brace by Designated Player Marco Di Vaio. The match played out in front of Montreal's second sellout of the season at Stade Saputo.
However, the Impact have struggled on the road as of late, winless in its last five contests (0-4-1), including a 2-1 loss to the Chicago Fire in their latest road matchup. Felipe scored a highlight-reel goal in the second half after entering the game as a sub.
Patrice Bernier, Marco Di Vaio and Alessandro Nesta did not travel with the team to Guatemala due to minor injuries.
The Impact will return home to face off against the Houston Dynamo in MLS regular-season play at home on Saturday (7 pm ET, MLS LIVE). The team will play their third of four CONCACAF Champions League matches on September 17 at 10 pm ET versus the Earthquakes at Buck Shaw Stadium.
CD Heredia news
Heredia have played three games in their 2013-2014 campaign. The Jaguars fell to powerhouse Communicaciones at home by a 2-0 score in their opening game on August 4 but triumphed over Universidad 3-0 on August 10 on the road.
Like the Impact, Heredia also have two league games that bookend the CCL matchup, including a 1-0 victory in their most recent matchup, last Saturday versus Marquense.
Heredia now sit in fifth place in the league standings, just three points behind archrivals Communicaciones, who currently hold first place.
CD Heredia are participating in CONCACAF Champions League for the first time. The club normally plays its home games at Estadio Del Monte, but the stadium does not meet the standards of CONCACAF so the match has been moved to Estadio Cementos Progreso.
Striker Osmar Lopez is leading his team with three goals in two games played this season. The other goal was scored by Brazilian forward Anderson Andrade. Guatemalan national team players forward Enrique Miranda and midfielder Wilfred Velasquez are also on the Heredia roster.
CD Heredia roster
GK – J. Calderon; D. Mendez
D – R. Arias, Rodolfo Gonzalez, H. Medina, V. Hernandez, D. Campos, W. Garcia, F. Garcia;
M – E. Cotto, S. de Matta, W. Garcia, R. Gonzalez, M. Raquec, W. Velazquez, D. Espinoza, F. Garcia, S. Guevara, H. Pereira;
F – A. Andrade, R. De Leon, O. Lopez, E. Miranda, A. Ruana
