Montreal Impact – FC Dallas
Saturday, July 20, 2013 - 7pm (ET)
Stade Saputo
TV: TVA Sports
Radio: TSN 690
Web: illico web, MLS Live
Mobile: illico mobile
MONTREAL, Quebec – The Montreal Impact (9-5-4) will look to end a four-game winless streak as it hosts FC Dallas (8-5-7) at Stade Saputo on Saturday, at 7pm (ET). The game will be broadcast live on TVA Sports and exceptionally on TSN 690, as well as via illico mobile, illico web and MLS Live. You can also get live updates using the Impact mobile app or by following @impactmontreal on twitter.
This is the first ever visit by FC Dallas to Stade Saputo, as the teams met only once prior to this matchup. The Impact travelled to Texas, losing 2-1 on April 14, 2012.
Saturday’s match is presented by Tim Hortons. As part of the festivities, soccer freestylers will be performing at the Celebration Zone, five lucky ticket holders could win a $50 Tim Hortons gift certificate and 2,000 gift cards will be given away.
Season ticket holders will have the chance to renew their memberships for the 2014 season during the game by visiting the President’s Terrace, where refreshments will be offered. For more information on 2014 season tickets, you can visit the Ticket Info kiosk.
Less than 1,000 excellent tickets are still available for Saturday’s game:
Online: admission.com - until 12pm on Saturday
Admission Network: 1-855-790-1245 - 9am-8pm (but until 12pm Saturday)
Montreal Impact: 514-328-3668 - Monday to Friday 9am-5pm (9am-4:30pm on Saturday)
In person: Stade Saputo - Monday to Friday 9am-5pm - Saturday starting at 9am
Watch: Pregame comments
Impact news
For the first time in over a month, the Impact has fallen from the top spot in the Eastern Conference, currently tied for second with the New York Red Bulls at 31 points apiece – two games behind first place Sporting Kansas City with two games in hand on both teams.
The Impact tied Chivas USA 1-1 in its last home game on Sunday July 7, but has an overall record of 6-1-2 in eight home matches.
In its most recent matchup, last Saturday at Red Bull Arena, the Impact lost 4-0 to the New York Red Bulls.
Midfielders Felipe (injury) and Sanna Nyassi (suspension) should be available this weekend after missing the matchup against RBNY.
FC Dallas News
FC Dallas currently sits in fourth spot in the Western Conference with 31 points from 20 games played.
After a solid start to the season that saw the team atop of the Supporters Shield standings for quite some time, the club is in an even deeper funk than the Impact as of late, having gone winless in its last seven games (0-4-3), including two losses in the last two games.
In its most recent match, Dallas lost at home to the Houston Dynamo in a 3-0 shutout on July 13 and has not scored a goal in its last three games.
Overall, FCD has won only once on the road this season (1-4-4).
Despite the recent slump, Dallas came charging out of the gates in 2013 after making a number of significant moves in the offseason following a disappointing 2012 campaign.
Watch: Arnaud's message to the supporters
First off, head coach Schellas Hyndman and technical director Fernando Clavijo brought in Peruvian national goalkeeper Raul Fernandez to replace the long-standing veteran Kevin Hartman. The 27-year-old goalkeeper ranks near the top of all categories in MLS, with 71 saves (2nd in MLS) through 18 games. He is just two clean sheets shy of the league lead in shutouts and has a 1.44 goal against average.
Then the club made deals to acquire forwards Kenny Cooper (3G, 1A) from the New York Red Bulls and Eric Hassli (0G, 1A) from Toronto FC, and brought in Brazilian winger Michel (1G, 5A) to compliment a fellow samba Jackson (3G, 3A) in midfield.
FC Dallas also signed Argentinian midfielder Mauro Díaz, a former River Plate player, earlier this week.
Midfielder Brek Shea was loaned out to English Premier League side Stoke City during the offseason.
A healthy David Ferreira in midfield (1G, 6A) coupled with another solid season for striker Blas Perez (6G) has helped the red, white and blue into a playoff spot at the midpoint of the 2013 season.
Striker Fabian Castillo will miss Saturday’s matchup with an automatic one-game suspension due to yellow card accumulation.
Upcoming games
The Impact plays its next game at Stade Saputo against Sporting Kansas City on Saturday, July 27, at 7pm ET.
Meanwhile, the Impact will face the Rochester Rhinos (USL Pro) in MLS Reserve League action this Sunday at 2pm at Stade Saputo. The game will be open to the public and free of charge.
In the first matchup earlier this year, these clubs played to a 1-1 draw on June 7 at Sahlen’s Stadium. The Impact has a record of 27 wins, 17 losses and 8 ties in 52 regular season games against the Rochester Rhinos, in second division, between 1996 and 2010.
