HARRISON, NJ — L’Impact de Montréal is on the brink of history. This iteration of the Québécois team can cement their place in history by reaching their first ever Eastern Conference final with a tie or a one-goal win versus the New York Red Bulls in the second leg of the Eastern Conference semifinals today at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, NJ.
The Impact will line up without the services of Didier Drogba in their first eleven. The mercurial Ivorian will be available off the bench with the likes of Johan Venegas. Mauro Biello will field an unchanged line-up from the first leg in Montréal which means Ambriose Oyongo and former MLS Defender of the Year Laurent Ciman will be playing their 4th game in just over two weeks.
IMFC Line-up: Bush; Camara; Oyongo; Cabrera; Ciman; Dondadel; Bernier (C); Bernadello; Oduro; Piatti; Mancosu.
NYRB Line-up: Robles; Zizzo; Perrinelle; Collin; Duvall; Muyl; Kljestan; McCarty; Verón; Felipe; Wright-Phillps.
For Montreal the plan will be the same. Shut down Klestan, cut off bradley Wright-Phillips, and take advantage of the space on the wings. It’s going to be another physical battle and the Impact more than matched the Red Bulls last time out — out fouling them 18-9!
The Red Bulls have what some call “playoff anxiety” which goes back a number of years and much will be made of the game vs Columbus in which Matt Miazga ball-watched, Kei Kamara didn’t, and the Red Bulls went home instead of onto the MLS Cup Final vs the Portland Timbers. L’IMpact will look to exploit this “anxiety” with a 1-0 lead in hand from the first game.
New York will be without Kemar Lawrence who is designated OUT with a hamstring injury. While Lawrence has had an up and down season for RBNY, he shackled the dynamic Dominic Oduro in the first leg forcing the game to be played more centrally. With Lawrence out, and Zizzo in at let full-back look for Oduro to get much more space down the wing and be more of a factor going forward.
Montréal needs to get Ignacio Piatti more involved in a game that promises to be much more open than the first. With New York needing a goal, look for Piatti to get more space to create and set free the in-form Matteo Mancosu.
If the Québécois are needing a goal late on in the game, you can bank on Didier Drogba making an impact. The Ivorian will come off the bench, and his teammates know how important he is in these situations.
Captain Patrice Bernier gushing last week that: “When he [Drogba] comes he’s a factor, he’s an X factor. Didier Drogba what is he known for? Scoring goals, being there in big moments” said Bernier, “I’m already hoping that he can get fit so he comes in because it’s a boost to the team to know that now we have eleven plus that can make a difference. It will be a great confidence booster becuase he’s a great leader and also he’s a big game player.”
