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MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact will aim to close the gap with the Eastern Conference leader, this Sunday afternoon, when first-placed New York City FC is the visitor at Stade Saputo at 5pm EDT. The game will be broadcast live on RDS (pregame show at 4:30pm), TSN, ESPN, 98,5fm and TSN Radio 690 (pregame show at 4pm).
“This is a big game for us at home in front of our fans,” said Montreal Impact head coach Mauro Biello. “We want to confirm the good road results that we’ve had with good performances at home. NYCFC has a clear philosophy on how it wants to build out of the back. Offensively, we have to continue to be able to unbalance and understand when to keep the ball and when to hit them directly.”
The Impact advises supporters to get to Stade Saputo early and to use public transit. Pie-IX Blvd. will be partially closed in the northbound direction, from Pierre-de-Coubertin Ave. to Mont-Royal Ave., preventing vehicles from turning right on Sherbrooke East St. Traffic disruptions are also scheduled on Pierre-de-Coubertin Ave., between Viau St. and Pie-IX Blvd., until the end of the season.
Please also take note of the full implementation of new security measures upon entering the stadium. All bags larger than 35 cm x 35 cm x 15 cm are prohibited. The full rules and regulations can be viewed on impactmontreal.com. The club will, however, introduce measures to speed up access to the stadium.
Sequence of home games kicks off
Back from a trip out West, where it picked up two points in two games, the Impact will now play four of its next six MLS fixtures at home, as well as an international friendly against renowned Italian club A.S. Roma. The Bleu-blanc-noir is in fine home form, with a record of four wins, three ties and a solitary loss.
Unbeaten in its last six outings – a team record in MLS –, the fourth-placed Impact remains among the top teams in the Eastern Conference. The team is only four points behind NYCFC with two games in hand, three points behind second-placed Philadelphia Union with one game in hand and a mere point behind third-placed New York Red Bulls with two games in hand.
“This is a nice matchup and one of the biggest games of the season,” said defender Hassoun Camara. “We have an opportunity to close the gap on the leaders. That team does well on the road, so we’re expecting a good opposition. We’re taking on a good team that has found its rhythm, but we also want to show how ambitious we are.”
The Bleu-blanc-noir will welcome back into the fold forward Didier Drogba, who missed the last three games through injury. Drogba, who delivered an assist for Dominic Oduro’s goal against NYCFC on April 27, is set to take on former Chelsea teammate Frank Lampard for the very first time.
However, Montreal will be without Ignacio Piatti, who was handed a one-game suspension for a foul committed in Portland on Wednesday night. This is a rare blemish on the team’s disciplinary record, as the Impact is the only club that has yet to pick up a red card in MLS in 2016. Piatti, the second-top scorer in MLS with 11 goals, will thus miss out on a showdown against the league’s top marksman, David Villa, who has scored 12.
Villa, Lampard and Pirlo in town
Top team in the Eastern Conference and third in the Supporters’ Shield Standings, NYCFC is bringing all of its stars to Montreal: Spanish forward David Villa, English midfielder Frank Lampard and Italian maestro Andrea Pirlo – as well as head coach Patrick Vieira, a World Cup and European champion with France in 1998 and 2000.
In the only other game between the two teams this season, back in April, the Impact notched a 1-1 draw at NYCFC. The Impact’s record against New York since the team joined MLS in 2015 stands at 1-2-1. The four games between the two sides have yielded 14 goals, seven of which came in the last quarter-hour of games.
Ignacio Piatti, with three goals, and Dominic Oduro, with two, are Montreal’s top scorers against NYCFC. For New York, David Villa has been the most prolific, with four tallies.
Costa Rican defender Ronald Matarrita, a former teammate of Johan Venegas’ at Alajuelense, and American forward Khiry Shelton trained on the sidelines on Thursday. They should still be fit for selection on Sunday. Connor Brandt (hip) and Steven Mendoza (core muscle) are the only names on the longer-term NYCFC injury list.
Following games
The Bleu-blanc-noir will also play its following game at Stade Saputo, on Saturday, July 23, at 7:30pm against the Philadelphia Union, currently second in the Eastern Conference. Excellent individual tickets are still available for this game on impactmontreal.com.
The Impact will also play an international friendly against A.S Roma on Wednesday, August 3, at 7:30pm at Stade Saputo. Members (season ticket holders) already have their tickets for this match, identified as the “Game to be determined”. Excellent tickets for this great event are also still available.
