Almost a week after successfully concluding a grueling five-game streak in 14 days, the Montreal Impact players seem to be in good mental and physical condition for the stretch of the MLS season.
Posted on October 23, 2020 at 4:08 p.m.
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At least that is the opinion expressed by midfielder Romell Quioto on the eve of the Impact game against New York City FC.
Returning to Montreal immediately after their 2-1 victory over Inter Miami CF on Saturday, Thierry Henry’s players took advantage of the mandatory quarantine to treat ailments and refuel.
“It was really good to have a few days off. It was very good for me, personally, and also for the group ”, testified Quioto, through an interpreter, by videoconference on Friday.
“The team is doing wonderfully, physically and psychologically, and it’s the same for me. The team is very focused on the objectives to be achieved in the next matches, and that is the main motivation, for me and for the group, ”continued the 29-year-old Honduran, one of the nice surprises of the season. in the Montreal camp.
The objectives Quioto talks about are simple: get the maximum number of points in the last four games to earn a place in the playoff round.
The Impact (7-10-2) will appear on the field Saturday night in ninth place in the Eastern Conference standings with a total of 23 points.
If Thierry Henry’s men amass three wins, they will be sure to play at least one playoff game since Atlanta United (5-10-4), currently 11e, in the East, will only be able to collect 31 points.
With three rivals better classified than him in the Eastern Conference, the Impact faces a not necessarily easy schedule before the end of the regular season.
After Saturday’s duel, the Impact will cross swords with Nashville on Tuesday, before battling Orlando City SC, currently fourth in the East and already qualified for the playoffs, on Sunday 1is November.
The Impact’s season will end the following Sunday against DC United, the worst team on the circuit.
“We want to collect all the available points, we want to win each of our games,” Quioto remarked.
“If we want to be successful, we have to take a one-game-at-a-time approach,” he also qualified.
With a victory on Saturday, the Impact would be just one point closer to the NYCFC (8-8-3), which holds sixth place, the latter giving direct access to the first playoff round in the East.
The clubs which finish between the seventh and tenth places in the Association will have to participate in a knockout phase to advance to this first round.
Also, Saturday’s game will be played at Yankee Stadium, a field that is shorter and narrower by a few meters compared to that of Saputo Stadium.
However, according to Quioto and head coach Thierry Henry, it doesn’t matter.
“Personally, I see no advantages and no disadvantages. For me, it doesn’t make me hot or cold, ”Henry said.
“That can’t be used as an excuse,” Quioto replied, “about it. The team has to show up on the pitch, stick to the game plan and do whatever it takes to get a good result. ”
To achieve this positive result, the Impact will try to enjoy a start to the game as dynamic as in its match against Miami.
This is of course the wish of Henry, who will finally be able to count on an invigorated team.
“It’s good to recover mentally, on a personal level and on a group level. Now it’s going to be a different game, it’s going to be a different team. Each match has its specificity on the tactical level. We will try to hinder them and do what we did against Miami and against a lot of other teams in terms of the position of the ball in the opposing camp, ”said Henry.
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