Historic Win for Impact

The Montreal Impact are 90 minutes away from the CONCACAF Champions League Finals. Their cinderella story continued yesterday as Ignacio Piatti and Víctor Cabrera netted goals in the first fifteen minutes and the Impact held serve at home against Alajuelense without conceding an away goal. The Impact can now advance, even with losses of 1-0, 3-1 or 4-2. That said, this series is far from a cake walk as Alajuelense dropped five goals on DC United in the quarterfinals. Still, it's hard not to start getting excited about Montreal's chances, because if they can advance, they likely won't see another club from Mexico as Club América trails Herediano, another Costa Rican side, 3-0 after one leg. The Impact will look to close things out on April 7th while Herediano and América meet on the 8th.

Here's a look at Montreal's lineup for Leg 1 of the semifinals

GK - Evan Bush (USA) - started both games vs Pachuca

D - Bakary Soumaré (Mali) - started both games vs Pachuca

D - Donny Toia (USA) - started both games vs Pachuca

D - Laurent Ciman (Belgium) - started both games vs Pachuca

D - Victor Cabrera (Argentina) - started both games vs Pachuca

M - Dilly Duka (USA) - started both games vs Pachuca
M - Dominic Oduro (Ghana) - started both games vs Pachuca at striker

M - Ignacio Piatti (Argentina) - started both games vs Pachuca

M - Marco Donadel (Italy) - started both games vs Pachuca

M - Nigel Reo-Coker (England) - started both games vs Pachuca
F - Cameron Porter (USA) - appeared as a substitute in both games vs Pachuca

Maxim Tissot, Calum Mallace and Patrice Bernier were the three substitutes used by Montreal... Justin Mapp, who dislocated his elbow against DC United during MLS's Opening Weekend was the only player that started in the quarterfinals who didn't start this match... Blake Smith was the only player that dressed for Montreal that didn't dress for a match in the quarterfinals.