Preview: Impact travels to Columbus to take on the Crew on Saturday
Columbus Crew – Montreal Impact
Saturday, September 1, 7:30pm (ET)
Columbus Crew Stadium, Columbus
Broadcast: TVA Sports
Also available on: illico web, illico mobile, MLS Live
MONTREAL, Quebec – 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.
Both teams are currently tied with 39 points, only two points behind D.C. United and the Chicago Fire who currently hold the final two postseason spots in the Eastern Conference (4th and 5th respectively).
This will be the third and final matchup of the season between these two clubs. The Impact lost its first matchup in Columbus 2-0 back on March 24, but bounced back to defeat the Crew at Stade Saputo on July 8 by a 2-1 score. Defender Zarek Valentin (1G) and midfielder Patrice Bernier (9G, 8A) scored in the win. Crew midfielder Milovan Mirosevic scored twice versus the Impact this season.
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Team news
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
Crew News
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.
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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.
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.
Next games
The Impact will be on a two week break before it travels to Chicago to take on the Fire on September 15, at 8:30pm (ET), at Toyota Park. The game will be broadcast live on TVA sports and will be available on illico web, illico mobile and MLS Live.
The team will then return home to play its second to last regular season game at Stade Saputo against Sporting Kansas City on September 22, at 1pm (ET). Individual tickets for games at Stade Saputo are available via the Admission Network. The Impact and Centraide is organizing a celebrity game that will be played right after the matchup versus Kansas City.
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Game Notes
- The Montreal Impact is currently first among MLS teams with nine goals on penalty kicks and 91 off sides, third with 367 shots, fourth with 351 fouls committed, as well as fifth with 42 total goals.
- Midfielder Felipe leads the team and is tied for sixth in the league with nine assists, while teammate Patrice Bernier is tied for ninth with eight assists.
- Bernier is also third in the league with four game-winning assists.
- With two goals against D.C. United, Bernier became the first Impact player in MLS to record a multi-goal game.
- Midfielder Davy Arnaud is first in the league with 66 fouls suffered while Felipe is third with 57 fouls suffered.
- Goalkeeper Troy Perkins is currently tied for sixth in MLS with 75 saves and seventh with 114 shots faced.
- Following Felipe and Davy Arnaud, midfielder Collen Warner reached 2,000 minutes of play for the first time in his career, last Saturday against D.C. United.
