Who are they?
The Montreal Impact: Canada’s southeastern MLS team. Although the Impact are new to MLS since 2012, this team’s history dates back to 1992. Since then they have competed in the APSL, A-League, USISL A-League, USL First Division, and the NASL.
What have they won?
Nothing MLS related so far, but the Impact made their mark across multiple leagues before their arrival in North America’s top tier. With ASPL, A-League and USL playoff championships and league titles under their belts, they prove to be a very versatile team.
This season
Currently sitting in 6th, the Impact are under heavy pressure while trying to retain their playoff position. Montreal hold a heavy reliance on star Didier Drogba as the season edges towards its close. With their lengthy stretch into the CONCACAF finals, the Impact have accrued a number of games in-hand, forcing them to play twice a week for the remainder of the season. Impact fans are hoping that Drogba can hold his fitness during the heavy congestion of games on the horizon.
Before Drogba
Before Chelsea legend Didier Drogba joined Montreal, they were losing 50 percent of their MLS matches.
Drogba’s Impact
Since Drogba’s arrival, Montreal are unbeaten in their last six games. Drogba has scored 7 goals in six games, and is heavily relied upon by the entire city of Montreal. That’s a lot of pressure for a 37 year-old. The only game in which Drogba hasn’t scored when he started was their draw against LA Galaxy on September 12th.
Enough about Drogba…
While the spotlight has been on the star striker for the past few weeks, Montreal would say that they aren’t completely dependent on Drogba’s finishing. Andrés Romero, Johan Venegas, Dilly Duka, and Wandrille Lefèvre have all stamped their names on the score sheet in the month of September.
The Backline…
Montreal’s defensive men have been busy protecting their goal on the other end of the field. Keeping clean sheets against Galaxy, D.C., and Revolution, center back Donny Toia and goalkeeper Evan Bush are a duo that can be broken through with only high pressure.
The Owners
The Saputo family have held ownership of the Impact for over 20 years and have been with the club through their many transitional phases from league to league.
