MONTREAL — We’re down to four teams in the Canadian Championship, and while the Montreal Impact pushed for more goals, they did just enough to continue their stellar run at home to put themselves in the driver’s seat.
Alejandro Silva’s 58th-minute marker was enough for Montreal to secure a 1-0 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps in the first leg of their Canadian Championship semifinal on Wednesday night at Saputo Stadium.
The Whitecaps were missing starters Kei Kamara and Felipe in their lineup, and elected not to use dynamic Canadian youngster Alphonso Davies. Whitecaps manager Carl Robinson mentioned he was resting a number of players ahead of their MLS match Saturday against the Seattle Sounders, but still lamented the lost opportunity to score a crucial away goal.
“Disappointed we gave the goal away,” Robinson added. “Disappointed we didn’t get an away goal because we had opportunities to get an away goal."
Whitecaps captain and Canadian Russell Teibert seemed a bit more optimistic about the first-leg score.
“1-0 is not such a bad result,” Teibert said. “It’s something we can definitely build on going home.”
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Montreal handled most of the possession and had most of the chances on this night, but they could’ve used more precision. The Impact had just four chances on target and came away with only one goal despite having control of the game and holding home advantage. Vancouver played from behind with most of their starters on the bench and had just one shot on target.
The Whitecaps had chances off two free kicks to score, while Cristian Techera hit the crossbar on another shot. Otherwise, the visitors didn’t pose too much trouble to Impact ‘keeper Clement Diop and spent most of the game chasing it.
“I don’t think it was a game full of chances,” Robinson said.
Impact defender Daniel Lovitz expressed some concern at Montreal only scoring once in their home leg.
“I think all the guys would agree that it’s better to win 3 or 4-0 than 1-0. Especially at home,” Lovitz said.
Both sides were scoreless after the first 45 minutes of play. Montreal’s Anthony Jackson-Hamel had the best chance in the 23rd minute. Lovitz crossed the ball into the box and the Canadian striker was first to it. However, the ball hit the post and failed to beat Vancouver ‘keeper Stefan Marinovic.
Jackson-Hamel looked dangerous at times in the box with four shots, but couldn’t convert for the home team.
“He could’ve scored two,” Impact manager Remi Garde said. “He tried to do his best and I liked the way he tried to be involved in the collective movement.”
It took 58 minutes before Montreal scored its lone goal of the game, courtesy of Alejandro Silva. Jeisson Vargas flicked a pass to Saphir Taider, before the Algerian tapped the ball to an open Silva. The Uruguayan took a short moment before shooting the ball past Marinovic.
#IMFC's Silva puts Montreal ahead 1:0 #CanChamp pic.twitter.com/7FVzCOfP6O
— Canada Soccer (@CanadaSoccerEN) July 19, 2018
Montreal and Vancouver have had spirited tilts in the Canadian Championship in the last few years. Montreal won a title in 2013 over Vancouver, while the Whitecaps got their revenge in 2015, the last year they’ve won the Voyageurs Cup. The Whitecaps had a 2-1 lead on the Impact in the Canadian Championship semifinal last year before Montreal stormed back to win it in the second leg.
Teibert, who’s played in Vancouver for the better part of a decade, has experienced both joy and heartbreak through the tournament. The 25-year old doesn’t take the championship for granted.
“I remember that feeling of what it felt like to win the Cup,” Teibert said. “And what that did not only for players in the locker room, but the staff working in the office and the fans that have been supporting us year after year, upset after upset. That feeling is special. It’s something we want to replicate and we feel we have the team to do so this year.”
Both teams fielded Canadian captains in their affair, as Samuel Piette donned the armband for Montreal. Piette was playing in Spain while the Impact went on their miracle 2015 CONCACAF Champions League run, as a result of their 2014 Canadian Championship win. The 23-year old remarked that winning a Voyageurs Cup would be “huge” for him.
“Some people say it’s a small tournament but it can lead us to some big moments and to play in some important games,” Piette said.
The teams will meet in the return leg on July 25 at B.C. Place. The Impact lost 2-1 to the Whitecaps in Vancouver in early March, their first match of the season.