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Toronto FC are now in the midst of a favourable home stretch as they prepare to host their most legitimate rivals on Saturday afternoon, the Montreal Impact. The Reds are in their second of back to back home fixtures and feeling confident after a 5-0 hammering of Orlando City a week ago. Montreal comes to town in a slight dip in form that at one point had them able to overtake TFC but now need to start winning games if they are to contend for an advantageous playoff position.
Greg Vanney will be pleased to have some options at his disposal for the starting eleven and has been praised of late for his selections and tactics. Montreal on the other hand have some questions as integral attacker Ignacio Piatti looks doubtful and there are concerns on Didier Drogba as well. The Impact will be buoyed by the return of Justin Mapp, a player who has had strong past performances against TFC. With that in mind, positions in the table, players available and form often go out with window between these two clubs, but Toronto do already have a marquee home win against Montreal that should indicate them as strong favourites for three points.
Keep thinking
Toronto FC received some reprieve from criticism last weekend when they hosted Orlando City for the second time within a month. TFC had already dispatched them 4-1 on August 5, but after back to back losses desperately needed an opponent lacking top calibre positioning to set things right. What supporters learned is part of where the Reds are sitting right now in the league, in that they can dismantle the bottom part of the table, but still have a ways to go to truly compete against the perennial contenders.
Losses to New England, Sporting Kansas City and New York Red Bulls, and the manner in which they occurred, do give concern as to whether or not the Reds will be able to not necessarily make the playoffs, but advance out of their first tough match up. What supporters should bear in mind at this juncture though is that MLS is a league where timing is everything and there is still an opportunity with several home fixtures to not only get into the post season, but on a positive run of form to boost confidence.
With this in mind, the Montreal Impact coming to BMO offers good timing with the schedule ahead. Toronto have already defeated the Impact at home, a 3-1 victory at the end of June that offered one of the club's best performances of the season at that point. After an initial goal from Montreal's Ambroise Oyongo, TFC's three DPs earned their paycheques as each scored a goal and were integral in each other's game winning performances. With Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore looking to have regained top form after last weekend, Montreal could be the right opponent to build off of last weekend's win.
The Impact are still in a good spot in the Eastern Conference and could be level with Toronto with their two games in hand, such is the importance of this fixture. Of course, all know well that Montreal have been buoyed by the signing of Didier Drogba, who has only played once to date and could be on display Saturday. Rumours of him not being in top shape could scuttle not only his impact, but availability, and that adds to what appears to be a doubtful Ignacio Piatti for this match. This is critical to Montreal's chances, as they desperately need to register a victory after being unable to do so in their last five fixtures, three in MLS play.
The previous encounter between these two sides does offer some insight into how this game could play out. As seen and has been the case in 2015, Giovinco brings it all to the table each week and his performances are integral in Toronto's results. Even Montreal's anchor in the back, Laurent Ciman, could not contain him, and fortunately for the Impact they have let go of Bakare Soumare who was dreadful back in June's match.
One would have to give Montreal a slight defensive edge, but with Toronto's attacking prowess much greater than the Impact's, that would give the home side a notable advantage. With Drogba yet to assert himself in the league the attack falls on Costa Rican Johan Venegas and Dominic Oduro. Oduro has scored on TFC in the past and his pace will be something to watch for, while Venegas has notable experience in CONCACAF, but also still getting used to MLS play.
With that remains the midfield and one would expect Toronto to still have the better tools with Michael Bradley and Benoit Cheyrou in the mix. Greg Vanney has some options with Marky Delgado, Jonathan Osorio, Jackson and Robbie Findlay to offer some variation. Montreal have the likes of Andreas Romero, Dilly Duka, Nigel Reo-Coker and Donadel, and now the return of Justin Mapp. Mapp has been a problem for TFC over the years, from Chicago to Philadelphia and now Montreal, he has played well against the Reds and should Drogba see the pitch limiting his crossing ability will be essential.
Toronto's Achilles has been defending and this could be an issue, but rarely have Montreal performed well at BMO Field and the Reds should be highly motivated after their 5-0 victory. A mid-week CCL game for the Impact might be a concern for fitness and as long as TFC remain defensively disciplined, something easier said than done, should control the match. However, in truth, the Reds performances have often been linked to good performances from Cheyrou providing a deft passing touch from a deep position and the likes of Bradley and Giovinco being able to catch each other running off the ball. There is little to indicate that the side won't be highly motivated and should the key players of Cheyrou, Giovinco and Bradley be primed for this fixture, it should be a positive result for the Reds.
In the end
Toronto FC, recently buoyed by a throughout 5-0 destruction of Orlando City, will take that confidence and welcome 401 rivals Montreal on Saturday afternoon. The Impact had begun to look formidable and the addition of Didier Drogba has enhanced their playoff hopes. However, some fitness concerns with him and likely missing Ignacio Piatti are a huge blow to their full potential. The Reds, on the other hand, are primed to be in top form and should be motivated not just from their recent result, but to once again take out the Impact on home turf. On what should be a sunny, Saturday afternoon, the Reds should have maximum home field advantage that will play a part in, what should be, back to back wins.
Prediction
Toronto FC 3 – 1 Montreal Impact
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