Two teams in difficulty face off at Stade Saputo
25 years already. A quarter-century has passed since the Impact’s first home game at Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard. The Bleu-blanc-noir has come a long way since then, most notably winning three playoff championships. But despite this opportunity to look back at the Bleu-blanc-noir’s past, a big game awaits us on Monday afternoon.
The opponent for this thematic game, the second of four in this silver jubilee season, is going through a difficult stretch at the moment. The LA Galaxy hasn’t won in its last four games but remains a dangerous offensive team. The problem is in the back: 11 goals conceded in four games are limiting the team’s opportunities to collect points. Here are the three keys to Monday’s game.
- Win the battle in midfield
Sigi Schmid will have to make do without the Dos Santos brothers in midfield, both out injured. Not a good sign for Los Angeles, who has had to change its starting 11 too often this season: chemistry is becoming hard to build, and the passing accuracy in the final third has suffered because of it. The Impact has an opportunity to dominate the middle of the field against an opponent who will have to improvise in this department.
- Pay close attention to the Kamara-Zlatan-Alessandrini trident
If order isn’t prevailing for the LA Galaxy at the moment, its offense is certainly making up for it. The Californians have scored six goals in their last three games. We must be wary of their talented forwards in Ola Kamara, Zlatan Ibrahimović – obviously – and Romain Alessandrini, who can light it up at any moment.
- Give more
The players didn’t hide from it after the game against the Philadelphia Union: the collective effort wasn’t enough, especially not for a home game. Montreal’s players will have to not only dig deeper in their reservoirs, but also better orient their efforts so that, collectively, the team can be coordinated in its offensive and defensive breaks.
