By FRANCO PANIZO

MONTREAL — Dramatic goals were scored, schedules heavily altered, players brought in, and a magical run made. It has all culminated in this, an opportunity to make history.

Now, it is up to the Montreal Impact to deliver. For themselves, their city, and a united league that has pinned all of its hopes on the club.

A step away from becoming the first MLS team to win the CONCACAF Champions League, the Impact are heading into the decisive leg of their finals series against Liga MX powerhouse Club America with plenty of confidence. The MLS club is in the driver’s seat after grabbing an impressive 1-1 draw in the opening match at Estadio Azteca last week and knows that most of the pressure is on favorite Club America to come out on top when the two meet again on Wednesday night.

That said, Montreal is not exactly playing stress-free. A crowd of more than 61,000  Impact fans is expected to be on hand at Olympic Stadium with the hopes of witnessing history, and almost all of MLS will be glued to televisions while rooting for the same outcome.

The Impact know they have quite the opportunity in front of them. It’s a glorious chance to make history, to reach the FIFA Club World Cup, and to bring more respect to a league and club that are still fighting for that on a daily basis.

“Like a great coach in Chicago said – this guy Mike Ditka – the future is a mystery, the past is history, it’s what we do right now,” said Impact head coach Frank Klopas on Tuesday. “Right now, it’s a great moment in front of us, and we’ve got to go all in. I know the players will and then that’s all you can ask for as a coach.

“We’re prepared, the guys are ready, they know what’s at stake. I wish I could predict the future. The only thing I know is that my players will leave everything on the field to make our fans and our city proud.”

What the Impact have going in their favor is that MLS has accommodated for them to make this deep push for the regional crown. The league moved several of Montreal’s league matches to later in the year in an effort to keep the club focused and fresh for the Champions League.

Club America, on the other hand, has not had that type of luxury. It has had to juggle both its domestic campaign and the international competition in recent months, and has not had a moment’s respite.

The Mexican side even followed up last Wednesday’s first leg with the Impact by playing again this past Sunday against Chivas de Guadalajara in Mexico’s Super Clasico. It was only after that match that Club America flew to Canada to begin two days of preparation for the rematch with Montreal.

That short turnaround might be a benefit for the Impact, but Klopas and his men do not see it as a big advantage nor do they think that they have an upper hand because they’ll be playing on the familiar turf surface at Olympic Stadium.

This is an adrenaline-filled and emotionally-charged championship game, and they know Club America will give everything it has to hoist that trophy.

“For sure the travel plays a part into it, but I would not expect anything less than a team that is going to step on the field and give 100 percent because this is a final,” said Klopas. “For sure you can look at that, but I think the guys are not going to underestimate them in any way.”

The Impact – who have put all their focus this year in the Champions League amid continued MLS struggles – have their own issues to deal with. Apart from needing to be defensively sound and opportunistic in the attacking third against a technical Club America team that intends to pour on the pressure, Montreal has to address its troubling goalkeeper situation.

Starter Evan Bush is suspended due to yellow card accumulation after picking up a late caution last week in Mexico City, and backup Eric Kronberg is cup-tied to Sporting Kansas City. Throw in the fact that No. 3 goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau just recovered from an injury, and Klopas has quite the dilemma on his hands.

It is why it is likely that the recently-reacquired Kristian Nicht gets the nod between the pipes ahead of Crepeau and fellow reserve John Smits. A 33-year-old German goalkeeper who spent time in Europe, Nicht rejoined the MLS club on Monday via a full transfer.

He was tipped as the starter on a couple of occasions on Tuesday – though the Impact were trying their best not to show their hand – and boasts big-game experience and familiarity with the Impact after serving as their reserve goalkeeper on a loan basis during the previous two rounds of the Champions League.

“I’m a professional since 16,” said Nicht. “I played in Germany in the first Bundesliga, so I’m used to that kind of (large) crowds. That’s nothing new to me. Obviously, I’ve never been to a Champions League final, but I’m not alone with that (lack of) experience. It’s for all of us a once in a lifetime chance, and it will be a great thing to be a part of.”

The momentous occasion may be why Club America goalkeeper Moises Munoz felt the need to tell reporters after the first leg that Montreal did not deserve to be champions. Munoz and Club America were the better side from the run of play in the 1-1 draw, but wayward finish, some misfortune, and tight defending from the Impact saw the Mexican side held scoreless until Oribe Peralta nodded home an equalizer in the 89th minute.

While Montreal will have the home-field advantage in Wednesday’s decisive match, Club America manager Gustavo Matosas and his players have vowed to come out attacking again. The Impact are fully aware of that, which is why it seems likely that they again sit back and absorb pressure while trying to hit quickly on the counter through Dominic Oduro, Ignacio Piatti, Andres Romero and Dilly Duka.

“We expect the same Club America team that we played at Estadio Azteca,” said Romero. “They know how to play in front of big crowds, but we played in front of a large crowd at Azteca and, honestly, the pressure didn’t bother us much. We’ll go out looking to play our game, and I think it’ll be a vastly different game than the one we played at Azteca.”

The Impact have been underdogs throughout nearly their entire Champions League run. Few gave them a chance to advance from a group that included the New York Red Bulls, and again when they faced Pachuca in the quarterfinals after the offseason layoff. There was more belief in the semifinals series against Alajuelense, but even that came with plenty of skepticism.

Montreal stepped up to those challenges and delivered each time, however, to put together this Cinderella run. The Impact are hoping to be able to repeat that one more time on Wednesday to make history for not only themselves, but also everyone else who is firmly in their corner.

“We want this game,” said Oduro. “We want to take it, and we want to try as much as possible to win it for the league, for the club, for the city of Montreal and for us.”