Coming off a 1-0 defeat to D.C. United on the weekend the Montreal Impact will now turn their focus back to the CONCACAF Champions League. The Impact knocked off Mexican side Pachuca last week in dramatic fashion, and now face Costa Rican side L.D. Alajuelense in the semi-final.
CCL: Montreal Impact Turn Focus to Alajuelense
The first leg will take place in Montreal next Wednesday evening, with the return leg taking place in Alajuela on April 7 at the Estadio Alejandro Morera Soto. The stadium, which holds 17,895, has hosted two WWE events in the recent past will no doubt be rocking for the return leg.
Alajeulense have won the second most championships in the Costa Rican Primera Division with 29, second only to Deportivo Saprissa. The Erizos have also won the CONCACAF Champions League twice, the last time in 2004. The Costa Rican outfit currently sit in third place in Costa Rican Primera Division after eleven matches played so far this season (as of Tuesday March 10).
In their CCL quarterfinal, Alajeulense defeated MLS side D.C. United 6-3 on aggregate. The side from Costa Rica took advantage of their home leg winning the first match 5-2. Although D.C. won the return leg 2-1 it was not enough. The Impact advanced to the semi-final in dramatic fashion after drawing Pachuca in the return leg 1-1 in Montreal.
D.C. United LWOS writer Alec Rivera (@LWOSAlec) offered to weigh in with his thoughts and provide some insight on Alajeulense:
The key for Montreal is not to fall behind in leg one. Alajuelense are a very beatable team. When D.C. United traveled to Costa Rica in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinals, they were a victim of their own making; by the time the match was over the had dug themselves a massive 5-2 hole because of their own mistakes, not because they were inferior competition. This allowed Alajuelense to exploit their lead, first sitting back and defending, then playing very physically in the second half to run out the clock. If the Montreal Impact hope to be the first MLS team to win the CONCACAF Champions league, they need a complete performance over the competition’s two legs–not unlike their quarterfinal performances against Pachuca.
The Impact will need to continue to play good defence over the two legs if they want to have a shot at progressing to the final. This will start with shutting down leading scoring Armando Alonso Rodriguez who has scored 11 goals in the 2014-15 season. Rodriguez along with Jonathan McDonald and José Ortiz Picado will no doubt be a threat for the Costa Rican side coming forward. It should also be noted that Rodriguez will bring a physical presence to the two legs and leads the CCL in fouls committed with 17. However, the Impact can hold their head high going into the tie as they effectively shut down the second highest scoring team in the CCL this season in Pachuca.
Montreal will also have to find a way to score themselves which could prove more challenging. The Impact have struggled to find the back of the net early this year, most recently being shutout by D.C. United last weekend. Frank Klopas will roll the dice again to see if he will start Dominic Oduro or Jack McInerney up front.
The first leg will take place Wednesday March 18 at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal and tickets are still available at http://marquonslhistoire.com/en/
Main Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images
