Champions League Final: Odds Make Montreal Impact Big Underdogs

The MLS and the entire country of Canada is behind the underdog Montreal Impact in the CONCACAF Champions League Final.

The Montreal Impact know the odds are against them. Well, maybe they don’t know exactly how long the odds are against them (+800) for the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League Final, but going into Azteca Stadium and beating Club America isn’t going to be easy.

Sports Interaction CONCACAF Champions League Odds

That much is certain and if the Impact take a tough first leg loss in Mexico City tonight, nobody would be surprised. Really, the surprise is that IMFC actually made it this far, especially when you consider Montreal sits last in the MLS Eastern Conference standings with just a pair of draws in four matches. The Impact have scored just twice in MLS play and both of those two goals hit the back of the net in the first half of their first game of the season.

“It’s not so much pressure, but it gives you this feeling of representing Major League Soccer even more so than ever,” Impact defender Bakary Soumare told reporters. “It’s guys on other teams, they’re behind you, they want you to win, and they know that we’re here representing the league. It’s pretty huge.”

The Impact may have to keep that in the back of their minds while playing in front of as many as 100,000 Club America supporters tonight.

“I’ve been at Azteca, watched many games,” Impact coach Frank Klopas told reporters. “And it’s crazy, now I’m here, coaching Montreal in a final at Azteca. It’s crazy how life is and things change.”

How much the Impact have changed will be a major factor in tonight’s game. If they play anything like they have early in the MLS schedule, this isn’t going to end up well for IMFC and its supporters. However, the team has come together by spending so much time together. Montreal isn’t as loose as it was before and has shown grit and poise in making it this far in CONCACAF Champions League play. In short, the Impact would suggest they aren’t their MLS record.

“We’re fine with [being the underdogs], but I think there’s a lot of respect for the league as a whole,” Klopas added. “The league has grown. The quality of the league has improved. It’s not like everyone takes any team from MLS in a light way anymore.”

The fact of the matter is Club America is set as a -315 favorite in tonight’s game against the +800 Impact with the draw at +431.

The Montreal Impact might be in over their heads looking for a win tonight, but an away goal would go a long way in making the second leg of this final very interesting.