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Inter Toronto VS FC Supra du Québec |
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It's an early start in the Canadian Premier League on Wednesday, as Inter Toronto host their first ever School Day Match at York Lions Stadium against FC Supra du Québec.
There are four matches remaining in the season for both Inter Toronto and FC Supra. Every single point is now crucial for both teams. This clash therefore has the feel of a cup match, where the losing side will have little left to play for other than finishing the regular season.
The objective for both teams is obvious: close the gap on fourth-place Vancouver FC, who have 33 points but have played one more match than either of these sides.
With 28 points, FC Supra, in fifth place, has the opportunity to move within two points of Vancouver FC… whom it will host in its next match.
For Inter Toronto, a potential victory over Supra would allow the team to build on the convincing win it earned in its last match against league leaders Cavalry (3-1). It would also give the team confidence heading into a difficult final stretch, which will see it travel to Forge FC, then face Supra again, this time in Laval, before hosting Atlético Ottawa.
With only six wins this season, overcoming such a schedule and qualifying for the playoffs would be an achievement for the Toronto side.
On paper, Supra’s schedule appears more manageable, with a home game against Vancouver, followed by a home match against Toronto, before a final trip to Halifax. However, in a league where anyone can beat anyone, caution should remain the order of the day.
Two teams close in the standings, with some similarities
The previous meetings between the two teams have shown that the outcome of their matchups remains uncertain.
Supra won the first game, under unusual circumstances, in a torrential downpour and after a very long stoppage due to thunderstorms (3-1), while the second meeting ended in a 1-1 draw.
The uncertainty surrounding this match is reinforced by the chronic inconsistency of both teams’ results and performances throughout the season. The past few weeks have provided another example.
Supra was capable of losing 6-0 away to Cavalry between a 2-0 win in Ottawa and a 5-0 rout of Pacific FC. In other words, Supra managed to record two of its three clean sheets of the season with a collapse against Cavalry sandwiched between them.
In Toronto, the situation is hardly more stable. The league’s worst defence, with 54 goals conceded, Inter Toronto has produced some improbable scenarios in recent matches. Seven goals were scored during its game against Pacific FC (3-4), six against Vancouver FC (3-3), and five against the Halifax Wanderers (1-4).
Several players are highly anticipated heading into the final stretch
When the collective struggles, individual talent can provide a valuable solution.
Loïc Kwemi’s talent has benefited Supra on several occasions, to the point that the Montreal forward, who was moved to the left wing during the season, has not suffered statistically from the positional change.
He remains the league’s leading scorer with 12 goals. He also continues to find the back of the net with clockwork regularity, scoring twice in his last three matches.
After a statistical dry spell in July and August, Sean Rea appears to have also (re)started the virtuous cycle at the perfect time. With two assists and one goal in his last five matches, he has regained an indispensable impact for his team.
In Toronto, winger Ariel Almagro is coming off a superb performance against Cavalry, during which he provided all three assists on his team’s three goals. That complete performance earned him Player of the Week honours for the second time this season. After gradually integrating throughout the season, he finally appears to be reaching his full potential.
Ollie Bassett, meanwhile, has an opportunity to give his season a different dimension after what has been a relatively disappointing campaign so far. The attacking midfielder took some time to establish himself as a starter, and then several more weeks to become decisive. That said, he finally appears to have found his footing, providing two assists and scoring one goal since the beginning of September.
This clash should have a special atmosphere at York Lions Stadium, with an announced sold-out crowd that will include over 2,000 children from Toronto-area schools.
NEWS & NOTES
- Luke Singh and Steffen Yeates are suspended for Inter Toronto, while Matisse Chrétien will also be absent for Supra for the same reason.
- Toronto's Oswaldo Leon and Tomasz Skublak have returned from their suspensions.
PROJECTED STARTING XIs
Inter Toronto: Campos; Singh, Leon, Lopez; Ferrari, Bassett, Cordova, Guzman; Almagro, Skublak, Badibanga
FC Supra: Milli; Brault-Guillard, Auguste, Ferdinand, Abzi; Sissoko, Biello, Rea; Choinière, Kwemi, Condé
KEY QUOTES
"The mission is quite clear. Fortunately we've had a lot of opportunities during the last little part of this season for our playoff run, and this is just another one. We know we don't depend on just ourselves, but we do depend on ourselves to continue this fight for that playoff spot." - Inter Toronto head coach Mauro Eustáquio
“I expect a tough, complicated match. Both clubs are fighting for points. We are competitors; in North America, we play to make the playoffs. I think it will be a different match from the one against Pacific, because Inter Toronto have a lot to play for on Wednesday. I think they will press us and put pressure on us from the start. It is a big match for them, but it is also a big match for us. Our structure has to be in place, it has to be good, and we have to stay focused for 120 minutes to be successful.” - FC Supra head coach Kyt Selaidopoulos
