The Montreal Impact got a much needed win against the Eastern Conference leaders,Toronto FC. The rivalry win ends a three game winless streak where they were outscored 7-2 and dropped points to two teams currently behind them in the standings. The Canadian side sits comfortably in fifth place on 37 points and is in prime position to make the playoffs barring a total collapse.
With only six points separating the top five in the Eastern Conference, a late push into a playoff home game or even a first round bye is not unattainable. Unfortunately for the Impact, they are trailing the top four on both the first and second tiebreakers of wins. Despite the rough string of results, there is still hope for the Impact if they realize the importance on Dominic Oduro.
The Impact have a roster loaded with talent and should be higher up the table. With an attacking pair in Didier Drogba and Ignacio Piatti, a lot should be expected. The additions of Harry Shipp and Lucas Ontivero have left a lot to be desired. Both of these young talents were expected to bring more creativity to the offense, but neither has been able to lock down a consistent starting role.
Montreal’s midfield has seen it’s share of rotation as well. Injury kept Marco Donadel out for a large portion of the season and the younger supporting cast has been rotated regularly. The defense, which has dealt with its share of injuries and international absences, has been lackluster despite the inclusion of the current Defender of the Year, Laurent Ciman. Victor Cabrera and Donny Toia have both dealt with injuries which further weakened the team during the absence of Ciman. Montreal has the 11th highest goals allowed record in the league, down three spots from last season. Couple this with the seventh most goals scored and a plus two goal differential and you get mediocre results. With a record of 9-7-10 (W-L-D) it’s easy to determine why the team sits in fifth in the Eastern Conference.
With the constant rotation in midfield, there is one player who consistently has a positive impact. Oduro can single handedly stretch defenses and create space for his teammates to exploit. The winger/forward started off as the lone striker in the absence of Drogba and moved to the right wing with Drogba’s return. Center forward is not his natural position, but his pace allows for unique play. Openings appear in key areas of the field when Oduro is allowed to utilize his speed and pull defenses towards him. Oduro is most at home on the wing where he can use his pace to beat defenders down the pitch.
Since the addition of Italian forward Matteo Mancosu on July 7th, Oduro has seen much less playing time as he shares minutes with the newcomer. Montreal was 6-4-6 at the time Mancosu was added, but has since gone 3-3-4. This noticeable decline is results can be attributed to the difference in roster. Over the last ten games, Montreal has gone 2-1-3 when Oduro plays and 1-2-1 without him seeing the field.
A Look At the Stats
Oduro currently leads the team in assists and is third on goals behind Drogba and Piatti.
The Impact have only a paltry positive two goal differential for the entirety of 2016 season and a negative one differential since July 7. This negative trend won’t secure a playoff spot if it keeps going, but there is a solution. Montreal, with Oduro on the field, has a positive eight differential and a positive 4 since July 7th. This may be an oversimplification, but his influence on the game is noticeable.
By digging a bit deeper into the stats, it can been seen that Oduro has been part of four game winning plays and two more game tying plays. His addition of either a goal or assist has account for 10 of the 37 points for the team. It should be noted that only one of these results has come after the addition of Mancosu.
On the Field
Oduro may only have one major play on the scoresheet recently, but his on the field influence is clearly evident in when looking at the last six matches. The Impact are an even 2-2-2 over this stretch, but Oduro did not see any action during the two losses where the team was outscored 6-1 as they were essentially run off the field. In the other four, Oduro has been on the field if not directly involved in the goals. His late game substitutions have been enough to change the dynamic on the field to allow for two tying goals and one winner past the 70 minute mark.
The Impact need a game changer to finish the season and Oduro is the answer. An overview of the rivalry match against Toronto should be evidence enough. After Callum Mallace got sent off Montreal was on the back foot for much of the remainder of the game. The loss of Giovinco for TFC may have had an effect as well, but not nearly as much as the weapons Oduro brings. Montreal was able to defend and use Oduro’s pace to mount quality counter attacks often enough to prevent too TFC build up. This pace, along with some Piatti brilliance, created the chance that sealed the victory of Montreal.
Conclusion
Montreal has eight remaining games with three of those against team currently ahead of them in the Eastern Conference standings. Winning these crucial matchups while not dropping unnecessary points is a must for a team that, on paper, should rival for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Given the numbers, Dominic Oduro is likely to be an important figure in their remaining schedule if not the most crucial player on the roster. His pace completely changes the on field dynamic of an already potent offense.
