With only six games remaining this season, the Impact is six points behind the Fort Lauderdale Strikers who are holding on to the sixth and final playoff spot. The Impact is also seven points behind Edmonton and Minnesota.
This is the last of four matchups between both teams in 2011. In the last game, the Impact shut out the Stars 2-0, Saturday, at Saputo Stadium.
“We did a good job managing the last game against one of the best defensive teams in the league,” said Impact head coach and sporting director Nick De Santis. “The Stars are also under pressure right now. It will be up to us to show more will to win the game.”
"We are a bit more comfortable playing at home but we have to play to our potential and as a unit on the road," said midfielder Sinisa Ubiparipovic, who tallied one goal and one assist in his first four games with the Impact. "There is still a lot of work to do. We have to approach one game at a time if we want that playoff spot. We need to keep working hard."
The last win against Minnesota was a second consecutive victory following a 4-0 shutout versus Atlanta. Ryan Pore scored his first career goal with the Impact, while striker Eduardo Sebrango scored his sixth goal of the season. Goalkeeper Evan Bush registered his fifth clean sheet of the season.
“It is always fun scoring goals, but we are focused on getting points and wins,” said Eduardo Sebrango. “Our new players are helping us a lot. The team is creating a lot of scoring opportunities. We have elevated our game and our intensity.”
The Impact has scored nine goals in the last three games. The team is also third defensively in the NASL with 23 goals against in 22 matches.
“I think we played two great games against Atlanta and Minnesota. We are ready to find success again against the Stars,” said defender Hassoun Camara, who has played 17 games so far this season, all as starter. “It is a good thing to have scored all these goals, but it is also good to not have let one in. We are always searching for the best balance offensively and defensively. Right now, everybody is playing well collectively.”
"We can't rely on the other teams to hope to get into the playoffs. We have to get the results ourselves," said goalkeeper Evan Bush, currently second in the NASL with a 0.94 GAA. "With the momentum and confidence we got from the last matches, it's a good time to go on the road. It won't be easy because Minnesota works hard and they are well organized defensively. The key is to get that first goal."
However, Montreal has registered only one win (1-7-2) in 10 games (8GF-16GA) all-time in Minnesota.
Midfielder David Testo has recovered from a groin injury and will be available Saturday.
Midfielder Anthony Le Gall suffered a light concussion during training this week and is evaluated on a day to day basis. He did not travel with the team to Minnesota.
Forward Marco Terminesi will undergo surgery for a double sports hernia and will be out for the remainder of the season.
Meanwhile, the Impact U21 team has a two-week bye before playing two road games in less than 24 hours, against Toronto Croatia, on September 9 at 8pm at Centennial Stadium, in Etobicoke, then against the York Region Shooters, the following day, at 7pm at St. Joan of Arc Field, in Vaughan.
TOWARDS THE PLAYOFFS
• At the conclusion of the regular season, the top six teams in the NASL standings will qualify for the 2011 NASL playoffs.
• The six teams will be given seeds 1 through 6 with the top team in the standings receiving the number 1 seed.
• In the event that two or more teams are level on points in the standings, the tied teams will be seeded in order of their head-to-head records against each other during the regular season. If two or more teams are level on points and in their head-to-head records against each other, the teams will be sorted in order by goal differential. If a tie still persists, the next tiebreaker will be the number of goals scored.
• The quarterfinal round will be a single match while the semifinal and final rounds will each be a home-and-away series on aggregate goals.
ELSEWHERE IN THE NASL
• Saturday, Aug. 27 – Tampa Bay @ Fort Lauderdale – Lockhart Stadium – 7:30pm (strikers.com)
• Saturday, Aug. 27 – Edmonton @ Puerto Rico – Estadio Juan Ramon Loubriel – 7:30pm (puertoricoislandersfc.com)
• Saturday, Aug. 27 – Carolina @ Atlanta @ Atlanta Silverbacks Stadium - 7:30pm (atlantasilverbacks.com)
• Wednesday, Aug. 30 – Edmonton @ Puerto Rico - Estadio Juan Ramon Loubriel – 7:30pm (puertoricoislandersfc.com)
LAST FIVE GAMES
• Saturday, Sept. 3 – IMPACT @ Fort Lauderdale Strikers – Lockhart Stadium – 2:30pm (strikers.com)
• Wednesday, Sept. 7 – IMPACT @ Puerto Rico Islanders – Estadio Juan Ramon Loubriel – 7:30pm (puertoricoislandersfc.com)
• Sunday, Sept. 11 – Carolina RailHawks @ IMPACT – Saputo Stadium – 3:30pm (CKAC Sports, THE TEAM 990, radio-canada.ca/sports)
• Saturday, Sept. 17 – FC Edmonton @ IMPACT – Saputo Stadium – 7:30pm (CKAC Sports, THE TEAM 990, radio-canada.ca/sports)
• Saturday, Sept. 24 – IMPACT @ Atlanta Silverbacks – Atlanta Silverbacks Park – 7:30pm (atlantasilverbacks.com)
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