2020 MLS Regular Season – Week 11
Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. Montreal Impact
BC Place – Vancouver
September 13 – 9:30 PM ET
TV: TSN1, TVA Sports
STREAMING: MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US
In a match with major Canadian Championship implications, the Vancouver Whitecaps host the Montreal Impact Sunday night at BC Place.
The Whitecaps (3W-6L-0D) are coming off a huge 3-2 home win over Toronto FC last Saturday, snapping a three-game losing streak to their Canadian foes in Phase 1 of the league's regular season restart, while the Impact (4W-4L-1D) were dealt a devastating 2-1 home loss to TFC Wednesday night.
Montreal won the first meeting this season, defeating the 'Caps 2-0 at Stade Saputo on August 25 on first-half goals from Romell Quioto and Lassi Lappalainen.
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
It's been a rough return to play for the Whitecaps with consecutive defeats at Toronto FC followed by a 2-0 defeat to the Montreal Impact. The 'Caps turned their fortunates around back home, defeating TFC 3-2 last Saturday at BC Place, their first home game in nearly six months.
Lucas Cavallini and Michael Baldisimo scored their first career MLS goals and Jake Nerwinski's 77th-minute goal secured the win. Cavallini may be forming a budding partnership with fellow Canadian Theo Bair in a 4-3-1-2 formation.
“What I liked about Cava and Theo was the differences they have as players, where Cava is a player that likes to be in the box, likes to receive balls around the box,” Dos Santos said. “That’s an area where we have to grow as a team in our possession to allow now to get players like him closer to the box or in the box. And Theo, what he does well, it’s the way he attacks the space in behind, like the example of the play where a ball was played in behind and he had to make a run with Laurent Ciman, where he got to the end of the ball and played that cross to Cava.”
- Updated team roster
- Injury Report:
- OUT: Maxime Crépeau (GK) - fractured left thumb
- OUT: Jasser Khmiri (D) - undisclosed injury
- QUESTIONABLE: Janio Bikel(M) - left adductor strain
- QUESTIONABLE: Tosaint Ricketts (F) - undisclosed injury
- Suspended: None
- Suspended after next caution: None
- International duty: None
Montreal Impact
The Impact were moments from a draw that would have put them in the driver's seat to all but clinch a berth in the CanChamp final, but a home draw turned into a bitter defeat when Jozy Altidore scored the 89th-minute winner. The USMNT forward has now scored in five of his last six appearances against Montreal.
That gives Toronto 12 points in the Canadian Championship standings, six more than the Impact, who have two games left against Vancouver. That means the Impact need to win both games to have a chance at advancing to the final.
“Now with the loss and to give three points to Toronto, we made our job a lot more difficult than it should’ve been if we would’ve tied,” Samuel Piette said after the game. “It’s devastating to lose like that because I think we gave the game away."
- Updated team roster
- Injury Report:
- OUT: Steeven Saba (M) - left foot injury
- OUT: Mathieu Choinière (M) - ankle injury
- OUT: Ballou Tabla (M) - adductor injury
- Suspended: None
- Suspended after next caution: None
- International duty: None
Series Matchup at Whitecaps
- Whitecaps: 2 wins, 6 goals
- Impact: 1 win, 4 goals
- 1 draw
Officials
- Referee: Pierre-Luc Lauziere
- Assistant Referees: Chris Wattam, Lyes Arfa
- 4th Official: Silviu Petrescu
- VAR: Drew Fischer
