Columbus Crew - Montreal Impact

73' Di Vaio opens the scoring for the Impact

80' Marshall equalizes for Columbus

90+3' Renteria scores winner for the Crew

MTL - Perkins, Brovsky, Rivas, Nesta, Ferrari; Warner, Bernier; Neagle, Felipe, Arnaud (C); Di Vaio
Subs: Bush; Iapichino, Thomas; Gardner, Ubiparipovic; Wenger, Nyassi

CLB - Gruenebaum, Miranda, Marshall, O'Rourke, Vukovic, Gaven, Birchall, Mirosevic, Duka, Higuain, Arrieta
Subs: Lampson, Gehrig, Finlay, Meram, Grossman, Renteria, Tchani

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Saturday, September 1, 7:30pm (ET)
Columbus Crew Stadium, Columbus
Broadcast: TVA Sports
Also available on: illico web, illico mobile, MLS Live

With only six games to play in regular season, the Montreal Impact (12-13-3) is in the thick of a playoff race as it looks to extend its season long winning streak to six games; visiting the Columbus Crew (11-8-6) on Saturday, at 7:30pm (ET), at Columbus Crew Stadium, in Ohio.  The game will be broadcast live on TVA sports and is available on illico web, illico mobile and MLS Live.

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The Impact has won its last five games, including a 3-0 romp of D.C. United last Saturday at Stade Saputo. Marco Di Vaio (3G) and a brace by Patrice Bernier led the team to its 12th win of the campaign. With an assist on Di Vaio’s goal, Bernier was in on all the scoring in the game, and was named to MLSoccer.com’s Team of the Week.

Over the winning streak, the Impact outscored its opponents 12-3, including three shutouts.

The Impact won its last game on the road 1-0 versus the New England Evolution in Foxboro on August 12. Midfielder Sanna Nyassi (5G, 2A) scored the game winner that earned him AT&T Goal of the Week honours.

Defender Nelson Rivas will return to the lineup following a three-game suspension resulting from a head butt against the Philadelphia Union. Fellow defender Hassoun Camara will be serving the last game of his two-game suspension resulting from a red card ejection versus the San Jose Earthquakes.

Impact goalkeeper Troy Perkins is riding a three game winning streak since joining the club in the first week of August via trade. The Ohio native has allowed just one goal, a PK, in a 3-1 victory versus San Jose.

INJURY REPORT 
OUT: F Bernardo Corradi – Left knee ACL tear, F Eduardo Sebrango – Left shoulder separation, M - Justin Mapp – Hamstring pull
QUESTIONABLE: D Alessandro Nesta – Right knee strain
PROBABLE: M Sanna Nyassi –Right hip flexor

Columbus is coming off of a mid-week game in which the Crew came from behind to defeat the Philadelphia Union on the road 2-1, scoring the game winning goal in stoppage-time. Argentine forward Federico Higuain set up both Crew goals.

Higuain, who joined the Crew earlier this month as a Designated Player, has scored three goals and added four assists in just four games as his new team has gone 3-0-1 over that stretch.

The older brother of Real Madrid Gonzalo Higuain added a brace in his team’s 4-3 weekend victory over the New England Revolution.

Read: Opponent watch

Similarly, midsummer addition Jairo Arrieta has played in nine games for the Crew, scoring five times and adding two assists. Like his teammate, he also scored twice in the win on Saturday. His team has gone 5-2-2 since he first donned the yellow jersey.

Midfielder Eddie Gaven leads the team with seven goals, 2,215 minutes and 25 games started.

After making his Major League Soccer debut at the weekend versus New England, goalkeeper Matt Lampson made his first MLS start on Wednesday in place of the injured Andy Gruenebaum.

Like the Impact, the Crew is strong on home soil, having gone 7-3-2 at Columbus Crew Stadium, and has not lost in its last six games at Crew Stadium.