Toronto FC-Impact Preview
Toronto FC has done enough to get by on a demanding road stretch to start the season with its top attacker in fine form. The Montreal Impact have excelled with their dominant striker playing little.
The latter will change Saturday in Montreal as Didier Drogba makes his first start of the season, and the Eastern Conference-leading Impact try for a third straight win overall and in the series with their compatriots.
Drogba, limited to 60 minutes in two substitute appearances because of a knee injury, scored his first goal of the season in last Saturday's 2-1 win in Chicago. The 56th-minute strike came six minutes after coming on and evened the match, then Ignacio Piatti got the stoppage-time winner.
"It feels really good to win like that, credit to Didier and Nacho," midfielder Harry Shipp told the club's official website. "They made special plays and their quality gives the whole team a lot of confidence. It felt like we had the quality to score the winning goal. We're happy to come back to Montreal with the three points."
While the Ivorian's return loads up the attack, the club's back line has already displayed plenty of depth. Ambroise Oyongo, Victor Cabrera, Laurent Ciman and Donny Toia began the season together as they left off last year, but an injury to Oyongo made room for Hassoun Camara. Oyongo is again healthy and subbed on for Camara against Columbus on April 9, and the Impact (4-2-0) have limited opponents to two goals and seven shots on target in the last three matches.
"It's a good problem for the coach to have," Camara said. "The technical staff made sure to have enough competition and depth within the team. It's going very well. No matter who plays, everyone's going in the same direction."
While Drogba's return to the starting XI hogs headlines, Piatti has opened the season with four goals and two assists - the same numbers as Toronto's main man.
The value of Sebastian Giovinco has been as evident as ever with all of the reigning MLS MVP's goals and assists coming in the club's wins and draws, while the Italian has been silenced in its losses. He scored in the first minute of last Saturday's 1-0 win at D.C. United and has a hand in all six of Toronto's goals.
But help seems imminent with Jozy Altidore having played his first full 90 minutes after being hampered by hamstring issues. He's started the last two and assisted on Giovinco's last two goals.
"It was a first class performance from Jozy and the only thing I wish he would've got in the end was a goal for all of his hard work," coach Greg Vanney told the club's official website.
Toronto (2-2-2), playing its first eight matches on the road, won for the first time since its opener at Supporters' Shield-holding New York.
The clubs met four times last season with the Impact winning the last two in a five-day span, including a 3-0 home win Oct. 29 to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals.
"We were frustrated, disappointed and upset at the way last season ended," Vanney said. "There's a lot of subplots that help us in terms of motivation."
Drogba wasn't around yet for the first loss and didn't play in the second but scored three of Montreal's five goals in the wins. Giovinco had a goal and three assists in the four games.