CF Montreal does not want to be given a rough ride by the Halifax Wanderers this afternoon, even if this quarterfinal of the Canadian Championship promises to be one-sided.
On paper, the confrontation that will be contested in Nova Scotia is uneven.
CF Montreal is fifth in the MLS Eastern Association, just one point away from third. As for the Wanderers, they are sixth in the Canadian Premier League (PLC), a circuit that has eight teams and whose caliber is lower than the MLS.
But you would have to be very naive to think that it will be an easy game, especially since unlike in previous years, this is a knockout game rather than a round-trip series.
“From experience, in my playing career, I played in the second division and the third division. We always wanted to win in the European Cup against an opponent better than us, ”says Wilfried Nancy.
Teaching from the past
The head coach of the Montreal eleven mainly remembers the Impact’s journey
during the last real Canadian Championship, in 2019, when he was an assistant. The team almost stumbled in their first encounter with York and struggled hard against Calgary in the semifinals.
“A football match lasts 90 minutes. We play in MLS and we want to do well. But it’s a PLC team with alumni of our Academy who will give everything against us [voir autre texte ci-contre].
“Two years ago, we had trouble in York and Calgary. The grass was longer, there was not much light. I don’t expect to win 5-0 or 6-0, I expect a tough game. “
Mathieu Choinière knows very well that the Wanderers want to show CF Montreal what to do with them. The club has several alumni of the Montreal Academy.
“I had small exchanges with some players who told me that they will do everything to win, that they will not give us any chances,” said the midfielder.
Win right away
Beyond the opponent, there is competition and this could mark an important milestone in the team’s season.
“The Canada Cup is an opportunity to win a trophy as quickly as possible because there aren’t a lot of games,” said Nancy. In addition, it gives us the opportunity to play in the Champions League.
“We want to rediscover the emotion of winning a championship and playing in the Champions League. “
To take no chances, everyone will be on the trip and that’s what puzzles Halifax head coach Stephen Hart.
“The problem for us is that we don’t really know who will play. I don’t believe they [les joueurs du CF Montréal] will change the way they play, but the staff will be different. “
Against his brother David?
For Choinière, this meeting is very important. If his club wins, he will face Forge FC, of the Hamilton-based PLC of which his brother David is a member.
“It’s very big for our family. It would be amazing for the family and for me and my brother. We’re both already talking about it. He wants us to win to play against us. “
Le Forge is one of the good teams in the PLC, which is only three years old.
“I am very happy with the PLC, it is an additional tool for developing young players. It allows them to play against adults, ”argues Nancy.
CF Montreal announced on Tuesday the additions of Francesco Morara, Stefano Pasquali and Antoine Guldner to the first team coaching staff.
Place for a family reunion
For everyone, this game between the Halifax Wanderers and CF Montreal is a Canadian Championship meeting. But it’s mostly a family reunion.
There are no less than seven former members of the Montreal Club Academy in the Halifax workforce. They are Jérémy Gagnon-Laparé, Jems Geffrard,
Pierre Lamothe, Alessandro Riggi, Samuel Salter, Kareem Sow and Stefan Karajovanovic. There is also Omar Kreim, a former University of Montreal Carabins.
“There is added motivation, for sure, to play against a team with which I have played in the past. I still know several people, ”says Gagnon-Laparé during a virtual meeting.
Even though the Wanderers are sixth out of eight teams in the Canadian Premier League, they go through an eight-game unstoppable streak in all competitions and beat AS Blainville 2-1 in the first round of the Canadian Championship.
Impress
When you face the team that has seen us grow up, there is obviously pride and pride that come into play.
“All the players who have spent a while in Montreal, even if they haven’t played with the team, know what it means,” said Gagnon-Laparé.
“There is added value because we want to impress, but I think it will mostly last in the first 10 or 15 minutes. “
According to the 26-year-old midfielder, the crowd that could transport the local team to a small 6,000-seat stadium should not be overlooked.
“The fans here are really amazing, it’s an energizing atmosphere for us. “
David vs. Goliath
“This is possibly the biggest game in our club’s history,” said Wanderers head coach Stephen Hart. It’s a bit of a David versus Goliath situation. It’s a team [le CF Montréal] who is doing well and who is at some point in the third position [dans la MLS]. “
Hart did not hesitate, he knows his team is up against a quality opponent on Wednesday, starting at 5 p.m.
“Myself, I would like to be able to play in this game. Motivation is not hard to find, ”he joked.
But no question of being impressed.
“We know who is in front of us, we don’t get the wrong impression, we know that we are playing against a good team that is doing well in its season. But we have confidence, there is a great peace of mind in the group, ”assured Gagnon-Laparé, who has already played seven games with the big club.
www.journaldemontreal.com