After a bye week to open the season, Chicago Fire enter Montreal’s Olympic Stadium to beginning their 2012 campaign. The Fire will certainly be looking to silence the crowd early (and hopefully often), as the club in the heart of French Canada expects a turnout of nearly 60,000 for the Impact’s home opener.
Chicago has the core of their team that finished 2011 back for the 2012 season, including mid-year acquisitions Sebastian Grazzini and Pavel Pardo. While Grazzini has dealt with a few preseason injury tweaks, Frank Klopas indicated in the team’s last day of training in Chicago that the Argentine would be ready come Saturday. Also back is Marco Pappa, who will be looking to link up in the midfield with captain Logan Pause, although newcomer Rafael Robayo looks to be another stellar option at Klopas’ disposal on right wing.
Chicago’s defensive core is also returning in 2012, with the familiar backline of Dan Gargan, Jalil Anibaba, Cory Gibbs, and Gonzalo Segares. Arne Friedrich, German international and Chicago’s biggest offseason signing has just arrived to Chicago, and while he didn’t make the trip to Montreal, he will join the team in training next week, and should be available in Chicago’s home opener on March 24th against Philadelphia.
Montreal is coming off their first MLS match, as well as first loss, falling 2-0 to Vancouver at BC Place last weekend. While they looked like an expansion team, especially in their midfield and defense, no one is discounting the advantage they’ll have with the crowd expected at Olympic Stadium. Chicago will hope to exploit their central defense, as centerbacks Wahl and Ferrarri were given fits against the Whitecaps. Jesse Marsch said this week that he and the Impact know Chicago will try using the speed of Dominic Oduro and Patrick Nyarko on the attack. Montreal has spent the week in preparation defending that attack. While they hope to be able to stop the Ghanaian duo, the evidence will be not in the knowledge of the Chicago attack, but their ability to physically stop them. Dominic Oduro picked up in preseason where he left off, leading the team with 4 goals, as he and Patrick Nyarko continued to jel and link up as they did so often in 2011.
In spite of the 12th man at Montreal’s home opener, Chicago should be able to press the issue and cause problems for the Impact if they can draw first blood. The opening minutes could set the tone for the game, and not taking the crowd out early could cause problems if Chicago is unable to carry last year’s momentum into Olympic Stadium and gain their first win in the 2012 season.
Image courtesy of Brian Kersey/Chicago Fire
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