Impact hold key to Thursday championship

The Impact will not win the 2009 Voyageurs Cup, a first for the Montréal franchise that has won the trophy every year since it was first awarded in 2002. Montréal fans will, however, witness the trophy’s presentation to a new champion on 18 June at Stade Saputo, be it to the Nutrilite Canadian Championship-leading Vancouver Whitecaps or the visiting Toronto FC.

 

Toronto FC needs to win its final game on Thursday night in Montréal by four or more goals. Toronto FC faces none other than the Impact in the final match of the 2009 Nutrilite Canadian Championship. Anything less and Toronto will concede the trophy to the Whitecaps.



So while the Impact can not win the 2009 championship, it will play a part in its outcome. The Impact would of course like nothing more than to play the role of spoiler, especially in front of its home fans at Stade Saputo.



For the record, no team has scored more than two goals in any single Nutrilite Canadian Championship match (this is year two for the competition). Four goals were scored in the 9 July 2008 match between the Whitecaps and Toronto FC, but that game ended in a 2:2 draw.



Never mind four goals against, the Impact do not want to concede any goals. The Impact is of course looking for the win, something the team has yet to do against Toronto FC.



In last year’s meeting at Stade Saputo, Toronto FC won 1:0 on a Marco Velez goal. The Impact was stung by the loss, but it got revenge two months later in Toronto at BMO Field. The Impact didn’t get the win, but did celebrate with a 1:1 draw that captured the 2008 Nutrilite Canadian Championship.



This year, the Impact lost 0:1 to Toronto FC at BMO Field on 13 May. At the time, it appeared Toronto was in perfect standing to vie for the 2009 trophy (Toronto had a perfect six points after two games). In retrospect, Toronto FC needed to score more goals that night, something that Impact goalkeeper Matt Jordan and his defence stopped on numerous occasions.



So for the second year in a row, the Impact stand in Toronto FC’s way in the final match of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship. This time, a win isn’t enough – Toronto FC needs to win big or go home. Rest assured, the Impact will be ready and standing in Toronto FC’s way come Thursday night.