Montreal Impact host 2016 MLS Cup winners Seattle Sounders with both teams still looking to pick up their first points of the season.
A win and three points are in order for Montreal Impact and the Seattle Sounders after opening day losses to the San Jose Earthquakes and Houston Dynamo. The two sides will not want to lag behind in their respective conferences following the conclusion of this game, so an exciting contest is expected on Saturday at the Montreal Olympic Stadium.
Montreal Impact
Mauro Biello’s men were second best in a lethargic and error-ridden 90 minutes away to San Jose, which means they will come out all guns blazing at home. The absence of Hassoun Camara from the upcoming match due to a red card shouldn’t be an excuse for the players, who need to learn how to start games strong.
The feared front three of Ignacio Piatti, Matteo Mancosu, and Dominic Oduro, who were awfully quiet in that game, need to step up and produce a performance worth remembering for the Impact to beat the reigning MLS Cup champions. Especially Piatti, who was a standout player for the Canadian side last season with 17 goals and 6 assists in the regular season.
Projected Lineup (4-3-3 or 4-5-1)
Seattle Sounders
The reason behind the Seattle Sounders’ 2-1 loss to Houston Dynamo was a fairly obvious one; they gave the ball away in dangerous areas far too often. These badly timed turnovers shouldn’t be a repeat offense when the Sounders visit Montreal, who would relish the opportunity to hit their opponents on the counter and free kicks just like the Dynamo had done.
Despite the loss, there were plenty of positives in store for the club as well. Clint Dempsey played 90 minutes and bagged a goal. While the likes of Nicolas Lodeiro and Jordan Morris looked promising on their first run-outs of the season. The Brian Schmetzer coached side was slow to find its groove in the preseason, which appears to have carried over into the start of the campaign.
Another interesting aspect of this match is the possible appearance of Harry Shipp, who used to turn out in the black and blue of the Impact in 2016. The 25-year-old midfielder has been vocal about his time in Montreal since his move to Seattle in December, and will surely get a raucous atmosphere from the home fans for his recent comments.
Projected Lineup (4-2-3-1)
All-Time Record
3 wins for Impact, 2 for Sounders.
Five matches have been played between the two clubs, with Impact currently leading the series 3-2-0. However, Sounders have won their only match at the Olympic Stadium, which was a 2-0 win way back in 2014. With no draws between these two, we can expect an exciting match.
Prediction
Montreal Impact will be expected to start this match at a frantic pace, but that might still not be enough to pick up their first points of the season, as they come up against a very well-rounded Seattle Sounders unit.
Where to Watch:
TVA Sports (Canada), MLS Live (USA), JOEtv (Seattle), ROOT Sports (outside of Seattle).