FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts – With a third game in just eight days, and a busy schedule still to come next week with a Champions League matchup, the Montreal Impact (5-16-6) will most likely field a number of changes to the starting lineup as it takes on the New England Revolution (12-12-3) this Saturday, at Gillette Stadium, at 7:30pm EDT (TVA Sports, TSN radio 690).
“We will be rotating the lineup on Saturday,” explained assistant coach Mauro Biello. “Based on the number of games we’ve played recently and on the number of injuries we have right now.”
A total of 10 players won’t be available on Saturday due to injuries: defenders Hassoun Camara (elbow), Matteo Ferrari (thigh), Adrian Lopez (knee), Maxim Tissot (thigh), Gege Soriola (shoulder), as well as midifelders Gorka Larrea (calf) and Justin Mapp (groin). Patrice Bernier (foot) and Issey Nakajima-Farran (thigh) both suffered injuries with the Canadian National Team, but the latter is expected to be part of the 18 on Saturday. Karl W. Ouimette stayed in Montreal for personal reasons, while Felipe is also out with a suspension due to yellow card accumulation.
“It doesn’t matter who is in the lineup,” added Calum Mallace. “As a player we train every day waiting for the team to call our number. When the coach calls on you, you’re ready to do whatever it takes to try and help the team win.”
Whatever it takes might rest on the ability to win the 50/50 balls in the midfield and shut down Lee Nguyen, who is having a career year in New England with 12 goals and four assists.
“Everything rolls through Nguyen,” analyzed team captain Patrice Bernier. “He is the machine that keeps the ball moving for them in midfield. Now they added Jermaine Jones, so they are even stronger down the middle.”
“They have a good offensive team with a number of weapons,” added Biello. “With Nguyen, Bunbury, Rowe, Davies and Jones, they have four or five guys that are dangerous in the final third. They are playing with a lot of confidence right now.”
The Revs are undefeated in five games (4-0-1) and have scored 10 goals while allowing just three over that span.
Not to be outdone, the bleu-blanc-noir has had some success offensively as well in recent weeks, having scored at least two goals in each of its last five games, catapulted by Ignacio Piatti, who has four goals and one assist in five games played with the Impact, including a three-game goal scoring streak.
“We have to go in positive and confident,” added Mallace. “We’ve got a lot of games, both played last week and coming up. They are playing well right now and we just have to be confident and grind out a result.”
The Impact will play a key game on Wednesday at 8pm, at Stade Saputo, against the New York Red Bulls in CONCACAF Champions League. A win could put IMFC in a good position to finish top in its group and qualify for the quarterfinals of the tournament. Excellent tickets for that game are still available through ticketmaster.ca
GAME NOTES
- Striker Jack McInerney has scored five career goals in MLS against the Revolution, including three game-winning goals, while playing with Philadelphia.
- The Revs had run off five straight wins before visiting Stade Saputo in late May, but that run was ended with a 2-0 loss to the Impact, which rode first-half goals from Andres Romero and Jack McInerney to victory.
- While the Revs have actually won on two of their four trips to Montreal, they’ve failed to pick up a point in two previous home meetings with the Impact. Last year’s matchup at Gillette Stadium was turned on its head after just five minutes when former Revs goalkeeper Matt Reis was sent off, paving the way for the Impact’s 4-2 triumph.
- Newly-acquired forward Geoffrey Castillion could be set to make his MLS debut this weekend after going through his first full week of training with his new teammates. The 23-year-old was officially available for selection for Sunday’s win over Chicago, but was left off the game-day roster having arrived just two days prior.
Mauro Biello's pre-game comments
Patrice Bernier's pre-game comments
Callum Mallace's pre-game comments
