13 years ago, the course of the history of the Montreal Impact was about to change. The small second division club would meet a giant, Santos Laguna. Back to this historic moment.
• Read also: A return to the Olympic Stadium on February 22 for Santos Laguna
We have to put ourselves in context, the Impact had, against all odds, obtained its qualification for the Champions League by winning the Canadian Championship, ahead of Toronto FC, which was already playing in MLS.
Moreover, the team had gone through the group stage to advance to the quarter-finals, which no one had expected.
“We were going into the unknown. For us, the Champions League was in Europe, remembers Patrick Leduc. It’s not like playing against a USL or MLS team. There’s a bit more emotional tension in every game. »
huge difference
It’s a cliché to talk about David versus Goliath, but it’s the best way to describe this clash. Sporting director at the time, Nick De Santis lends weight to the argument.
“We had a budget of $1.1 million to build our team and Santos had around $26 million. It gave us a good indication of what we would have to face. »
De Santis didn’t want his team to be humiliated by the Mexican team which played in CONCACAF’s top league, the Liga MX.
“We had very good players in all positions, but we knew we had to limit the damage because we were playing against one of the best teams in Mexico and at that time this league was much stronger than MLS. »
Confidence and preparation
Nick De Santis believes his team had an enviable position being overlooked.
“When you’re neglected, it’s a strong position because you prepare as much as possible. You don’t want to be ridiculed and pride comes into play.”
Behind the scenes, the technical staff had done what was necessary to ensure that the team was optimally prepared, as illustrated by former head coach John Limniatis.
“Marc Dos Santos told me that we had done so much research on them that he even knew what time each player went to the bathroom,” laughs De Santis.
In short, no one felt like they were going to the slaughterhouse when they faced Santos Laguna.
The surprise
On February 25, 2009, a festive atmosphere prevailed at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal. We feel that the impressive crowd of 55,571 spectators is ready for an extraordinary moment.
“It was probably the biggest day in club history,” says John Limniatis.
The head coach then feels all the fervor of the fans and is overwhelmed by the moment.
“We were the underdogs, we knew it would be extremely difficult. Playing in Montreal in front of 56,000 people gave us incredible energy. »
Hysteria
Among Limniatis’ men is Cuban-born forward Eduardo Sebrango, who is returning to Montreal after a first spell between 2002 and 2005. It only took him five minutes to open the scoring.
“Sometimes I still have the impression that this match is not real, as if it were a dream”, recognizes Sebrango about this meeting.
Photo d’archives, REUTERS
Eduardo Sebrango threw the crowd into hysterics at the Olympic Stadium by scoring in the fifth minute of play on February 25, 2009.
“When we score that first goal and everyone goes crazy, I think they never expected that,” Nick De Santis believes.
Sebrango will complete its double at the 77e minute to allow the Impact to travel to Torreón for the second leg with an unexpected lead.
“Those are some of the most important goals I’ve scored in my career,” he concedes.
Not impressed
The evening turned into a party, the second goal practically lifted the roof of the Olympic Stadium, but Patrick Leduc, who watched the game from the bench due to an injury, was left unsatisfied.
“We didn’t find them that good in the first game, but there were flashes early in the game and we thought it was serious. »
“The surprise was that we won, recognizes Limniatis. But when you look at the match, it was not a surprise, we played well, it was not a victory by chance. »
Patrick Leduc, however, knew that nothing was achieved despite the outcome of the first game.
“We didn’t steal this victory, but it prepared us a bit for the return match, where we were perhaps a little too sure of ourselves. »
It is only later in the second match that the balloon will deflate.
45 minutes from the feat
The Mexicans were waiting for the Montreal troupe in the second game
Photo d’archives, REUTERS
There is consternation in the Impact camp after their loss on March 5 in Torreon, Mexico.
It was with a 2-0 lead after the first leg that the Montreal Impact went to Torreón for the second leg, on March 5, 2009.
“We were confident for the second game, but we knew it would be even more difficult because we were playing at home,” recalls John Limniatis.
“If I remember correctly, someone from their team said after the first game that they were going to teach us a lesson in Mexico. »
The Mexicans weren’t lying as they took the lead in the 15th minute. Roberto Browne and Eduardo Sebrango made it 2-1 for Montreal before halftime.
Nervousness
“We knew they were an explosive team offensively. We knew that if we conceded a goal or two, we would be even more nervous, but we had a cushion of three goals, ”explains Limniatis.
Santos Laguna tied the game before the hour mark and things were starting to get tenser for Montreal, especially with changes looming on both sides.
“I won’t name a name, but I remember a substitute who came into the game and had eyes the size of soccer balls,” said Eduardo Sebrango.
The team held on until the 74th minute when Vicente Matias Vuoso scored his second goal of the game.
Error
The problems really started for the Montrealers when John Limniatis decided to remove Roberto Browne from the game.
“We did not anticipate the arrival of Darwin Quintero well, I may not have entered the right player to counter him and they became very difficult to control”, admits the former head coach.
Browne was an old hand and Nick De Santis believes his experience would have served the rest of the group.
“With his international experience, he would have known what to do to kill time. Our inexperience in the face of such a crucial moment and in a hostile environment hurt us very much. »
The flood
De Santis was on his way to the pitch when Darwin Quintero scored the first of his two goals during added time.
“And when they scored their fourth goal, I thought about running down the field to create a diversion to save time, but I thought I’d look crazy,” he recalls with a bittersweet laugh.
Quintero did it again a few seconds later to score the fifth goal, the one that eliminated the Impact. Everything happened so fast that Sebrango no longer knew what was going on.
“I was so confused that when the referee signaled the end of the game, I thought we were going to overtime. »
Birth of one culture
We do not live a defeat as cruel as the one suffered in the return match without keeping the consequences.
“After this defeat, it’s as if everyone was deflated emotionally, recognizes Nick De Santis. The team suffered for several months after that, it was very difficult to accept because we had put ourselves in a favorable position to win. »
Experiencing an adrenaline rush like this without reaping the rewards ended up weighing heavily.
“It had a big effect on the start of the season,” said John Limniatis. It was difficult to motivate players to play in Charleston in front of 200 people and I was replaced after only five or six games. »
Dismissal
The following months were indeed difficult and John Limniatis ended up being sacked.
“When I was fired, I think the organization perceived that we had lost rather than Santos Laguna who had won. The first match distorted the perception. It was a powerful team. »
But all is not black for the former coach, who has good memories despite the bitterness of the defeat.
“As a coach, it’s been my best experience in the world of soccer. But I also experienced Mexico against Canada in front of 110,000 spectators at the Azteca. »
Culture
Under the leadership of Marc Dos Santos, who until then had been Limniatis’ assistant, the team recovered to finish 2009 well.
“We won the USL championship that year,” recalls Nick De Santis.
And there is a legacy that was born in this quarter-final.
“When we think of this team, we think of the coaches and the players, we have been able to create an identity and a culture”, supports De Santis.
“At the end of the day, it remains a defining moment in the history of the club. These are moments we cherish for the rest of our lives. It was a moment that defined what Montreal has become in soccer. »
