Return to MLS after two-week break for Bleu-blanc-noir
MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact comes back to league action this Wednesday night, at Stade Saputo, as Philadelphia Union are in town for the second of three games between the two clubs this season (TVA Sports, 985sports.ca, CJAD 800), a game presented by the Olympic Park. Excellent tickets for this match are still available at impactmontreal.com.
Another edition of the IMFC Summer will start at 5pm, with two-for-one deals on all drinks until 6, as well as a skateboard demonstration by Jackalope at 5:30pm. Animation and music is also planned for fans of extreme sports, along with door prizes to enjoy all activities at Olympic Park this summer.
The Impact recommends that supporters use public transit and get to the stadium early. Due to transformation work at the corner of Pie-IX Blvd. and Sherbrooke St., traffic delays may occur in the Olympic Park area, notably on Viau St. and Notre-Dame St. E.
As usual, the MLS Bag Policy will be in effect. All backpacks, camera bags and large tote bags, as well as all bags bigger than 35 cm x 35 cm x 15 cm are prohibited.
Please also note that parking entrances have changed names since last season. Entrance PB is now called P5 (orange), while entrance PA has made way for entrances P1, P2 & P4 (yellow).
A crucial game for the playoff race
Currently sitting in ninth place in the East, the Bleu-blanc-noir has an opportunity to overtake a direct opponent in the MLS Cup playoff race. Philadelphia Union, eighth in the Eastern Conference, is two points ahead of Montreal, having played one more game.
“We want to come out strong and impose ourselves with a great desire to compete,” said Impact head coach Mauro Biello. “Defensively, we need to show commitment and a willingness to fight; offensively, we have to create chances and finish our actions. Philadelphia is in front of us in the standings and we need to do everything to get the maximum points.”
“The challenge is that we play at home and we have to win,” said centre-back Laurent Ciman. “Out of the next nine games, seven will be at home. Like in the past, teams must come here thinking it will be tough to take points. In front of our fans, we have to push and to take maximum points.”
At Stade Saputo, the Impact boasts a record of five wins, one loss and one tie against Jim Curtin’s team. Goals are always to be expected in this fixture, especially in Montreal, where the hosts have found the back of the net 16 times, allowing seven goals in return.
Absentees for each side
The Montreal squad will have to make do without Canadian internationals Patrice Bernier, Maxime Crépeau and Anthony Jackson-Hamel, who will play the Gold Cup quarterfinals against Jamaica, who currently has in its ranks new Impact recruit Shaun Francis.
On the Union’s side, captain Alejandro Bedoya should not travel with the team, having seen his family extend this morning. Maurice Edu, with an ankle injury, and Richie Marquez, due to knee problems, have not left Philly, while Warren Creavalle and Fabian Herbers could be available for the game. Internationals Andre Blake, called up by the Reggae Boyz, and Chris Pontius, answering the call of duty with the Americans, are still at the Gold Cup.
Upcoming games
The Impact will play a second game in four days, as FC Dallas travels to the Bleu-blanc-noir’s ground, this Saturday, July 22, at 7:30pm (TVA Sports, 98,5fm, TSN Radio 690 – TICKETS). Then, Montreal will go to the Big Apple for a first visit to Red Bull Arena since the team eliminated the Red Bulls at the Conference semifinals stage, in 2016, on Saturday, July 29, at 7:30pm (TVA Sports, 98,5fm, TSN Radio 690).
