After two games on the road, the Impact finally comes home to play its first game of the season in Montreal. With snow on the ground and familiar faces on the opposite side of the bench, there is no shortage of storylines for this weekend.
Home opener
This will be the third home opener for the Impact since joining MLS. The team has gone undefeated in the two previous matchups, besting Toronto FC 2-1 last year, while playing the Chicago Fire (lead by Frank Klopas no less) to a 1-1 draw. The ambiance will be electric again!
The roof at Olympic Stadium
Weather conditions are the word around town. UPDATE: Match postponed to Sunday, March 23 at 4pm.
Playing on turf
Although, historically, playing on turf has been an advantage for the Impact when at Olympic Stadium (having lost just once in eight games played over all competitions), Seattle is one team that is comfortable on it as its home stadium, CenturyLink Field, is synthetic.
Familiar face
Former Impact midfielder Lamar Neagle is excited to come back to Montreal and see some familiar faces with 14 members of the 2012 squad he was a part of still wearing blue. “It’ll be cool seeing the guys that I used to play with and created relationships with over the course of a year. It was a very nice place. Montreal’s a beautiful place,” Neagle said on the Sounders website. On the field, Neagle has played a solid role for Seattle early in the season, starting both matches and tallying an assist in his 165 minutes thus far, after scoring eight goals in 2013.
Dempsey or no Dempsey?
That is the question. While it looks like Neagle is set for his third start in a row, the Sounders may be without its biggest name in Clint Dempsey. Word is that the Seattle DP may be suspended for a couple of games after waving his arm recklessly towards the groin area (yes, you know what I mean) of TFC’s Mark Bloom last weekend. A decision is expected Friday.
