Impact defence finally getting healthy for second-half playoff push

And this week, the club announced that the three-month contract that Fanni signed when he joined in March to replace Diallo has been extended to the rest of the season, with an option for 2019.

With Victor Cabrera and Jukka Raitala, a left back who has filled in at central defence, also on the roster, Garde said the team will soon have a logjam at that position.

“I’ll try to manage that as well as I can while respecting everyone, and making the best decisions for the team,” he said this week.

He was glad keep 36-year-old Fanni in the fold, however. The former Marseille player had three other teams, from France and Turkey, interested in his services after seeing that he can still hold his own on the field. He’s also emerged as a leader in the locker room.

“He’s someone that gives confidence to others,” said Garde. “That’s certainly the main thing he brings outside the field because he doesn’t speak a lot, he doesn’t shout every time, but when he says something the players listen to him very carefully.”

While Fanni looked at home on an MLS pitch from the start, Camacho needed time to adjust. There were fears after his first few games that the Impact had made another recruiting blunder, but the 27-year-old found his legs and has been a rock in recent games.

“He started not very well because, I don’t know why, but many people talked bad about him,” said Fanni. “I don’t like that because for me he’s a very good player.

“I saw that the first training. That’s why I’m really happy because now everybody sees his quality.”

The Impact’s problem now may be finding international roster slots, especially if they land help for their attack during the summer transfer window. They currently have nine slots, all taken.

It wasn’t clear this week which centrebacks would play against the Rapids (4-11-3). Facing a team that is second from bottom in the Western Conference, they may elect to rest Fanni and Camacho for a tougher Eastern Conference match Wednesday against New York City.

The Impact have been playing better as a team at both ends of the field for the past month and are coming off a confidence-boosting 2-0 victory over Western Conference leader Kansas City. But after starting the season 3-10-0, they need wins. Garde said they may need to take 10 of the 16 remaining regular season games to make the playoffs

“Colorado’s a trap game,” said goalkeeper Evan Bush. “We’re not in any way in a position to let our guard down, regardless of how we’ve been playing.

“We’ve been getting results because we’ve been fully committed and fully involved in everything, both in training and in the game. If we let our guard down at all, Colorado has guys that will make us pay.”

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COLORADO (4-10-3) AT MONTREAL (7-11-0)

Saturday, Saputo Stadium

PIETTE PROMISING — It appears holding midfielder Samuel Piette will be OK to play after leaving last week’s win over Kansas City with a hip injury.

RAPIDS REVIVAL — After losing nine straight, Colorado was on a three-match unbeaten run until falling 2-1 to Seattle on Wednesday night.

BUSY MONTH — The Impact play five league games and a two-game Voyageurs Cup semifinal against Vancouver in July. They will have no more than four days between games.

PIATTI ON FIRE — The Impact star has four goals in the team’s current three-game winning streak.

Bill Beacon, The Canadian Press

by Canadian Press

Impact defence finally getting healthy for second-half playoff push

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