Montreal unbeaten in last four home games
MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact continues its road to the MLS Cup playoffs, this Wednesday at 8pm, at Stade Saputo, in its only game of the season against fellow Canadian club Vancouver Whitecaps FC (TVA Sports, TSN, 98.5, TSN 690). Excellent tickets remain available on impactmontreal.com.
“It’s a tough game,” said Impact head coach Wilmer Cabrera. “They’re not doing well, so every game can be a lifeline for them. No matter what’s happened, during the last stretch of the season, every team tries to give their best in every game. We need to focus on ourselves and what we can do to win this game. It’s going to be hard. We don’t expect anything to be easy at this point. But it’s important that we focus on ourselves. “
Stade Saputo's gates will open at 6pm, allowing you to take advantage of the summer. From 6pm to 7pm, the 2-for-1 special on all drinks will be in place, and animations, numerous activities, and photobooths will be available beneath the stands. Video game enthusiasts can try their luck against LyesMTL, the Impact's eSports player in the BMO Celebration Zone, on FIFA 19 on PS4. Finally, a new pregame ritual, during which supporters will be able to welcome players in the stadium's North stand, will take place as of 6:30pm, 90 minutes before kickoff. Please note as well that our new IMFC grilled cheeses made by chef Danny Smiles will henceforth be on the concessions' menu at Stade Saputo, starting as low as $2.83 (plus tax).
The MLS bag policy will be in place for this game. Backpacks, camera bags, and big tote bags, as well as any bag larger than 35cm x 35cm x 15cm will not be accepted inside the stadium.
Also, please note that more traffic than usual is to be expected in the Sherbrooke/Pie-IX/Pierre-de-Coubertin/Viau area, as well as to access the different parking lots around Stade Saputo due to roadwork.
The Viau metro station is undergoing an important renovation project. Construction on the new bus rapid transit corridor (BRT) on Pie-IX Boulevard has begun, and as such, traffic on Pie-IX between the A40 and Pierre-de-Coubertin Street will be impeded, while bus routes may be diverted. The P1, P2, P3, P4 parking lots are available. The P5 parking lot is reserved for Members with a parking pass.
Taking points, an obligation
Montreal will play five of its last six MLS regular-season games on Quebec soil, an undeniable advantage which should profit the Impact on Wednesday. The race to the MLS Cup playoffs remains tense, with just six points separating fifth from tenth in the Eastern Conference.
On the Impact’s end, midfielder Samuel Piette should make his return after suffering an adductor injury, forcing him to miss the last two games. Designated Player Nacho Piatti, however, will remain unavailable for Vancouver’s visit.
Catalan forward Bojan scored his first goal in an Impact uniform, last Saturday in Toronto, a spectacular goal nominated for MLS Goal of the Week. Defender Rod Fanni also rejoined the club, reaching an agreement with the Impact until the end of the 2019 season.
“We need to keep moving forward in this end of season,” said defender Zachary Brault-Guillard. “Right now, we’re focusing on this next game. We’re playing at home and we know there’s no room for error. We can still make the playoffs and maybe even bring a cup back to Montreal. We’re keeping hope and we’ll do everything we can to accomplish these two objectives.”
Vancouver in difficulty on the road
Marc Dos Santos, the former Impact coach now in charge of the Whitecaps, and his team have a positive record in Montreal, having won two of the three games played at Stade Saputo. This season, however, Maxime Crépeau and his teammates have suffered away from home, managing just two wins, with eight losses and five draws, ranking them last in the Western Conference, tied with the Colorado Rapids.
“We still have a lot of games left, especially at home, but we need to win Wednesday,” said defender Bacary Sagna. “We need to turn things around. We have an opportunity to do so, despite everything we’ve had to go through, we still have a chance to complete our objectives. Against Vancouver, we can’t focus on their place in the standings. They’re coming here to take points, but we need to win.”
Upcoming games
The Impact is in a four-game home stand, including the Whitecaps’ visit. This Saturday, August 31, at 7:30pm, D.C. United will be the visitor (TICKETS – TVA Sports, 98.5, TSN 690). Then, after the international break, FC Cincinnati will visit Montreal for the very first time on Saturday, September 14, at 7:30pm (TICKETS – TVA Sports). To close out this sequence at home, the Impact will host Toronto FC for the first leg of the Canadian Championship final on Wednesday, September 18, at 7:30pm (TICKETS).
