For the very first time, one of the Canadian teams has advanced to the conference final stage in the MLS Cup playoffs. Now, we're guaranteed to have a Canadian team in the MLS Cup Final as well. In the Eastern Conference, it's all about the Great White North, as Toronto FC and the Montreal Impact are the two teams left standing. Which one will have the leg up on the other to get into the coveted championship game? We won't have the whole story at Olympic Stadium on Tuesday night, but we'll at least get a good idea of how this 180-minute saga will start.
This MLS duel will go down Tuesday, November 22, 2016, at 8 p.m. ET at Olympic Stadium. The match will be televised live on ESPN.
Soccer Odds at BookMaker.eu
Montreal Impact +140
Toronto FC +185
Draw +240
Over/Under 2.5
Odds Analysis
The first legs of these home-and-home series are often relatively gritty affairs, and goals are usually hard to come by even though the MLS is more known for its offense than its tactical play. The total is relatively high for postseason standards at a flat 2.5.
The game though, may as well be on a knife's edge. TFC is clearly the favored side to ultimately reach the MLS Cup Final, and Montreal figures to have to get some positive result here to have a shot over in Toronto next week. The Impact are +140 favorites, though that's not nearly as ringing endorsement for them to actually get off to a winning start.
Key Injuries
The biggest concern here for Montreal is that Andres Romero is out of the fold thanks to a torn ACL. But he's been a long-term absentee and hasn't had a huge impact on this season. Speaking of a lack of impact on the Impact, Didier Drogba is back with the team again, though he isn't going to be in the Starting XI in all likelihood. If he comes off the bench though, he's the biggest weapon in this game on either side.
Ashtone Morgan has a stress fracture in his foot for TFC and is considered questionable for this one. Again though, this is a relatively healthy side aside from that, and no players are going to be out via suspension.
Recent Form
The Impact have had one heck of a run in the postseason, and it's hard to say that that did anything but come out of nowhere. They beat D.C. United 4-2 on the road to open up the second season and not only dismissed the New York Red Bulls in the next round, but did so by winning both home and away. Montreal ended the regular season with a draw at home against Toronto and a bad 3-0 loss to New England on the road, so this was clearly a surprising run that Quebec's team has gone on.
TFC just missed out on a first round bye from the playoffs, but it definitely wasn't bothered by a home game against Philadelphia. The Union went out quietly in a 3-1 game, and the Reds blew away an overmatched New York City FC team by a 7-0 aggregate over 180 minutes over the last couple weeks. The 5-0 win at Yankee Stadium was one of the more impressive displays by an underdog team in the history of the MLS.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
This rivalry was nicely poised this year with each team sporting a 1-1-1 record. The Reds have some motivation here knowing that they were knocked out of the playoffs last year in the opening round by the Impact, and they'd love to do nothing more than come to the Big O and walk out with a chokehold on this series.
We fancy Toronto to get off to a good start and perhaps snare an early goal, but Montreal won't go quietly. The Impact have had too many great moments here at Olympic Stadium to lose this match. Don't be surprised if Ignacio Piatti or even Drogba off the bench find the back of the net towards the tail end of this match to level the sides. It'll be a de facto win for Toronto with a draw and an away goal, but the margin won't yet be decisive.
MLS Odds: Montreal 1, Toronto 1
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