Kronberg set to start in goal as Impact faces Toronto FC in Voyageurs Cup play

MONTREAL – Eric Kronberg doesn’t get many chances to show what he can do for the Montreal Impact, except when the Amway Canadian Championship comes along.

That’s when the six-foot-five Kronberg takes over from Evan Bush as the starting goalkeeper, even though the Impact place high value on winning the event and claiming the Voyageurs Cup.

Kronberg has warmed the bench as Bush started all 13 Major League Soccer matches for Montreal this season, but he’ll be in goal when the Impact visit Toronto FC on Wednesday in the first leg of a two-game, aggregate goals semifinal.

“Something that I try to focus on in training is to maintain a high level,” Kronberg said Tuesday. “I got a game with the USL team (FC Montreal) and I thought it went pretty well.

“I got a lot of action and I feel pretty good.”

The return leg is June 8 in Montreal.

Kronberg was a starter in Kansas City before he was claimed by Montreal in the re-entry draft. He played only three league games last season, but started all four Voyageurs Cup matches as Montreal lost to the Vancouver Whitecaps.

The Impact usually give playing time to backups in Cup matches, but this time they have no choice. In a 3-2 win last Saturday over Los Angeles that ended a six-game winless run, their entire back four from opening day were missing.

Laurent Ciman is away with Belgium while Ambroise Oyongo was called up by Cameroon. Victor Cabrera and Donny Toia are injured, which leaves a back line of rookie Kyle Fisher, Hassoun Camara, Wandrille Lefevre and Maxim Tissot.

And now holding midfielder Marco Donadel is out four weeks with a sprained ankle.

But coach Mauro Biello is not writing off the match. He said scoring stars like Didier Drogba and Ignacio Piatti will be available to play.

Biello said Cup matches are important because the eventual winner gets Canada’s lone spot in the CONCACAF Champions League. Playing in the CONCACAF final before more than 60,000 at Olympic Stadium in April 2015 is a highlight of the club’s 23-year history.

“We saw what it means to win the Cup and what it can bring to the club and the city,” said Biello. “We had amazing experiences in the Champions League final and we want to reproduce those moments. It starts with this first series against Toronto.”

Kronberg had just been acquired from Kansas City when the Impact began its unlikely run to the Champions League final, defeating Pachuca of Mexico in the quarter-finals and then topping Alajuelense of Costa Rica in the semis before falling to Mexican powerhouse Club America.

However, Kronberg wasn’t allowed to play because he had already participated in CONCACAF matches that year for Kansas City.

“I was disappointed because I was Cup-tied, but being part of that team in that environment is something I’ll never forget,” he said.

It led to some panic when, with third-string ‘keeper Maxime Crepeau out with an injury, Bush was suspended for the final game due to yellow card accumulation. The Impact made hasty arrangements to bring in Kristian Nicht from NASL club Indy Eleven to play the final game.

“There were so many moments — playing at home in a full stadium, scoring that first goal against America and hearing that stadium explode,” added Biello. “Just the electricity, the buzz in the city.

“These moments stay with you for a lifetime. When you experience that you want to experience it more. Hopefully we can get back there as soon as possible.”

Midfielder David Choiniere, 19, was called up from FC Montreal and will be among the 18 players dressed for the match.