Pacific FC head coach Pa-Modou Kah has described tonight’s Canadian Championship semifinal game against Toronto FC of Major League Soccer as the most important in the history of his Island club.
“We need to play the game and not play the occasion,” said Kah, in a warning to his players not to let the moment overwhelm them.
Toronto FC is taking it seriously, too, as the full red kitchen sink will be thrown at Pacific FC of the Canadian Premier League at 4:30 p.m. PT at BMO Field. Here’s something nobody ever thought they would see: Toronto FC rested several key players in their 1-1 MLS draw Saturday against Atlanta United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in order to save them for Pacific FC.
The Reds (6-17-10 in league and 1-0 in the Canadian Championship) have been eliminated in the race for the MLS playoffs. Meanwhile, they are two steps from the Canadian Championship title, and a coveted berth in the CONCACAF Champions League for next season, with only the semifinal against PFC (13-8-6 in CPL and 2-0 in Canadian Championship) and potential final against CF Montreal of MLS standing in the way of lifting the Voyageurs Cup for the eighth time.
Among the TFC players being saved for PFC, and not even making the trip to Georgia, were captain and U.S. World Cup player Michael Bradley, 47-time sa国际传媒-capped Jonathan Osorio, 20-time sa国际传媒-capped Richie Laryea, Brazilian-import Auro Jr. and Congo-capped Chris Mavinga. The only TFC players of note starting in Atlanta were former La Liga player and Spanish import Alejandro Pozuelo and two-time U.S. World Cup player Jozy Altidore.
“You always want the team you are playing against to put their best players on the pitch because it’s a measuring stick,” said Kah.
“Some of our boys obviously have aspirations to be where [TFC] is at and play at that level [MLS]. So there’s no better chance than showcasing our capabilities.”
Who is in the TFC lineup will not alter PFC’s approach, he added: “We don’t change who we are. We focus on what we have to do. The focus is on ourselves, not the other guys.”
Pacific FC captain Jamar Dixon concurred: “We are treating it as just another 90-minute game. Yes, it’s big for the club. But we have to stay focused tactically and not reinvent things. It’s a different environment. But it’s still two goals and a normal-size pitch. We have to focus on ourselves, instill belief in the boys, and can’t let the occasion get to us.”
Each team will be missing a key offensive player. Winger and 23-time Venezuela-capped Yeferson Soteldo is out for TFC with injury. PFC’s leading scorer, Terran Campbell, is out on two yellow cards incurred during the pulsating Canadian Championship opening-round upset of the Vancouver Whitecaps of MLS at Starlight Stadium and the quarter-final win over CPL-rival Cavalry FC in Calgary in which Campbell scored the lone goal.
The Campbell situation grates on Kah because while PFC has played two games in the Canadian Championship, TFC has played only the 4-0 quarter-final win over York United of the CPL. That means PFC had one more game than TFC in which to compile yellows in the competition.
“Terran is vital to us. I understand the first-round byes given to MLS teams but sa国际传媒 Soccer needs to review the yellow-card compilation because it’s not fair [in terms of number of games played],” said Kah.
If PFC requires any inspiration, it need look no further than its first-round victory over the Whitecaps and the fact Forge FC of the CPL took CF Montreal of MLS to 11 rounds of shootout before it was decided in favour of CF Montreal in the other Canadian Championship semifinal last week.
“The lesson is there is no small enemy and you have to take very seriously every game,” TFC coach Javier Perez told Canadian Press.
“It’s the biggest game in club history externally, but it’s just another 90-minute game,” said Kah, reiterating the message driven home in the PFC camp.
— With a file from The Canadian Press
