By Bruce Constantineau
Vancouver Whitecaps won't face a borderline reserve squad when they take on the Montreal Impact tonight in their must-win Nutrilite Canadian Championship game.
Montreal head coach Marc Dos Santos insisted Tuesday he won't repeat last year's mistake when he fielded a weak side that Toronto FC thrashed 6-1, allowing Toronto to beat Vancouver for the Nutrilite title on goal difference.
Dos Santos said it was a smart soccer decision because Montreal had no chance to win the tournament so he rested key players for more important league games.
"But I think I disrespected our supporters and I don't want to do that any more," he said in an interview. "I will rest two or three key players but most of the lineup will be a top lineup for sure.
"We have a lot of depth on our squad and I really feel that the guys we put on the field will be a very good team. I know Vancouver would probably like us to approach it like we did last year but you learn from your mistakes in life."
The Whitecaps have to beat Montreal at Saputo Stadium and then defeat Toronto FC at BMO Field next week to capture the Nutrilite crown and represent Canada in CONCACAF Champions League play. A Vancouver draw or loss in either game allows Toronto to take the title.
Dos Santos said a hamstring injury will keep Panamanian forward Roberto Brown out of the Montreal lineup while rookie forward Reda Agourram will also sit as he serves the second game of a two-game penalty for throwing a punch at Vancouver defender Chris Williams in a May 5 Nutrilite match.
Agourram scored a goal Sunday when Montreal played to a 1-1 draw with Italian Serie A club Fiorentina in a friendly at Saputo Stadium.
Dos Santos said Montreal's league game against Carolina next weekend is more important to the team than the Nutrilite match against the Whitecaps.
"But we still don't want to finish last in the [Nutrilite] group," he said. "You never know, maybe the second-place team in Canada could still go to CONCACAF so you still have to play to win."
Vancouver Whitecaps head coach Teitur Thordarson said Tuesday his squad looks ready to play well after two days of training in 30-degree Montreal sunshine. He wants his players to defend strongly but also push forward aggressively like they did in the recent 2-0 home win over the Rochester Rhinos.
The Vancouver goals — from Cornelius Stewart and defender Greg Janicki — broke a 296-minute team goal-scoring drought.
Thordarson knows his team will have to press the issue and dictate play when possible, especially if the match is tied in the second half.
"It all depends on how the game evolves, but if we have good control of the game, we will have to take risks when we come closer to the end," he said.
Dos Santos said he knows Vancouver will do anything it can to win, but Thordarson isn't sure what to expect from the Impact.
"They are out of this tournament and are surely focusing on the league, as they did last year when they made changes on their team [against Toronto]," he said. "But I have no possibility to judge what their lineup will be. We have full respect for them and know it will be a tough game, as it always is out here."
Thordarson said defender/midfielder Wes Knight, who sat out the Rochester game, is a likely starter tonight while rookie forward Stewart will probably make his fourth consecutive start alongside striker Marcus Haber.
bconstantineau@vancouversun.com
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