MONTREAL – If Didier Drogba’s career has shown us anything, it’s that Saturday night’s 31-minute debut was only a small sample of what's to come.
Drogba's appearance in his first MLS match wasn’t enough to lift the Montreal Impact, who fell at home to the Philadelphia Union by a 1-0 scoreline at Stade Saputo. It was a third straight home game without a win for Montreal, who struggled to get back to business after a 10-day break.
The Impact’s new star couldn’t make the difference on the night, shooting twice off target and drawing two fouls in a 31-minute appearance off the bench. But, as head coach Frank Klopas said, “it’s the first game.” The real Didier Drogba will stand up soon enough.
“We all have to be realistic,” Klopas told reporters post-game. “When you look at it, he’s been training with us for two weeks. He’s been out for two months. This is like preseason for him, the first two weeks. The legs are going to be heavy. It’s going to get more physically tiring, and he’s going to get out of it, but the games do help to get the sharpness back.”
For his own part, despite reporters flocking to his locker, Drogba declined to speak to the media in the locker room after the game.
Drogba may not have turned this loss into a draw or a win, but he did show a glimpse of what he can offer. His direct free kick just before second-half stoppage time went agonizingly wide. He also created a fine chance for Johan Venegas, nodding a corner kick to him – an example of the aerial ability Montreal can definitely use.
“I thought he brought a presence in the team,” Klopas said. “Just his presence lifted the team. The stadium got really excited. I just think we’ve got to find a better way to use him. That’s going to take time. But he was good. He had chances in the box. We could have got him the ball a little bit quicker with the service, but I think it’s going to come.”
Drogba is not expected to start until “after two or three games,” Klopas said. Then again, the games come quick for Montreal. They have two next week, starting with this Wednesday’s Amway Canadian Championship final second leg against Vancouver Whitecaps (10 pm ET on Sportsnet One in Canada, MLS LIVE in USA and Mexico). And Drogba apparently wants a taste of the Voyageurs Cup.
“He’s going to be with the team,” Klopas said. “I think we have to [bring him in] slowly. It’s a final. He’s going to play. How much he plays? I know that, talking with him, and the plan we put together, he wants to be with the team. And he wants to be involved in the final.”
Olivier Tremblay covers the Montreal Impact for MLSsoccer.com.
