Despite a star-studded cast of players, NYCFC crashed to a 3-2 home defeat at the hands of the Montreal Impact. Marco Donadel and the Impact handsomely outplayed their hosts in a game heavily influenced directly and indirectly by Italians
Marco Donadel is not the first Italian to grace the pitch in Montreal colours- legendary defender Alessandro Nesta and striker Marco Di Vaio recently also donned Impact’s blue. Though Di Vaio’s contributions up top were huge, with the striker scoring 34 goals for the Canadian side, it was Nesta who left a lasting impression on the club. Throughout the entire 9o minutes, the Impact defense acted as a tight, cohesive unit, playing off their strengths and marking important NYCFC players practically out of the game. Particularly in the first half, they barely allowed New York’s players to get anywhere near the box, with center backs Laurent Ciman and Victor Cabrera keeping a tight watch on David Villa and Tommy McNamara. The two of them made several crucial tackles, but mostly kept a keen eye out for Pirlo’s balls over the top, clearing them away with headers before Villa or any other could get to them.
On the flanks, Ambroise Oyongo almost artistically defended his side of the pitch while making a fool of Angelino when running up to join the Montreal attacking play. He tracked back fabulously, maintaining a close watch on plays taking place near New York’s left side and making countless interceptions and clearances, becoming a nuisance for NYCFC while still being a key cog in the Impact’s forward pressing. Though Oyongo, Ciman and Cabrera did not have the honor of Alessandro Nesta lining up alongside them, in a certain sense he was still there, as the tactical brilliance he brought over from him title-filled time with Milan. His organizational talent has shined through long after he departed Montreal, leaving a deep and visible imprint on the club’s back line and its style of defending.
Not everybody feels the same way though, as when asked, key Montreal midfielder Marco Donadel disagreed with the notion of Nesta’s influence:
“We are a very young, a very new team. We have our own tactics and we make our own game, I do not think that we feel their [Nesta’s and Di Vaio’s] influence very much.”
Donadel himself has also been a major contributor to the way the Impact conduct themselves on the pitch. The Canadian club’s very own maestro, the Italian defensive midfielder has approached the role of a regista with more flair than many are accustomed to. Against New York, nearly all of Montreal’s attacking plays passed through him, whether originating with one of his now-trademark crunching tackles or a pinpoint accurate pass after receiving the ball from one of his teammates. His vision and accuracy saw him end the first half of the match with a 100% pass completion rate, while also directly creating a chance. His twist on the playmaker role also reared its head, and within the first 45 minutes Donadel had already made four tackles, including several on compatriot Andrea Pirlo, stifling the former Juventus man’s ability to work magic with the ball.
Though Donadel’s zeal eventually earned him a yellow card and a suspension for his club’s next match, it did not deter him from continuing to get in the middle of the action, making key defensive contributions despite the threat of a second yellow and subsequent sending off. Working hard for his team the entire match, Donadel was to the Impact what opposing number Andrea Pirlo once was to Juventus and Milan- the club’s engine.
His teammates felt the same way, and when speaking to Montreal’s Donny Toia, the left-back agreed with the sentiment:
“Yes, definitely, he [Donadel] has got great vision, he can see everything around him, and when he gets the ball he plays it over the top and opens up the space for us a lot. Obviously, it’s a big part of the game, and he plays a big role.”
The Montreal Impact triumph over the international superstars of New York City FC was a marvelous display of tactical astuteness, organisational superiority, and an understanding of a player’s role within the great machine that is a football club. Alessandro Nesta and Marco Donadel, the club’s two chief Italian influences, have helped transform a random arangement of players into a cohesive unit that with time and practice could someday soon challenge for MLS titles.
The post Italian Influence Brings Montreal Victory over NYCFC appeared first on Italian Football Daily.
from Italian Football Daily http://ift.tt/1DkGoNV
via IFTTT berita selengkapnya Follow @jadwalliga
