Montreal looking for a fourth straight win
MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact will play a third game in eight days, Saturday at 7:30pm at Stade Saputo, against Real Salt Lake (TVA Sports, 98,5fm, TSN Radio 690). Excellent tickets are still available at impactmontreal.com.
“This is another important game for us, our third in a week,” said Impact head coach Mauro Biello. “We need to continue to have the same mentality we have shown in the last three games and focus on what we have been doing well, offensively and defensively, in order to hurt them and take three points.”
Another edition of the IMFC Summer will start at 5pm, as the stadium’s doors open, with two-for-one deals on all drinks until 6. DJ Miss Shelton will drop her beats from 5:30pm, before Marco Mr Tam Tam takes the stage to celebrate the Armenian heritage night.
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., on Pierre-de-Coubertin Ave. and Notre-Dame St. E. Also, Olympic Park hosts the Jackalope event on the same day, so expect more traffic in the neighbourhood.
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. Entrace PB is now called P5 (orange), while entrance PA has made way for entrances P1, P2 & P4 (yellow).
Bleu-blanc-noir on a roll
In its three games since the start of August, the Impact has taken maximum points, including two wins against direct opponents in the MLS Cup playoff race, thus getting closer to the red line.
“It’s another opportunity for us to climb a bit more in the standings,” said defender Hassoun Camara. “We are on a great run. We have to stay humble, we know where we are coming from. We will do everything in our power to win three points on Saturday.”
The club’s Designated Players, Blerim Dzemaili and Nacho Piatti, are going through a purple patch. In their last three games, both midfielders have had at least a point, Piatti scoring in the three games for a total of four goals and an assist, while Dzemaili has two goals and two assists. The Argentinean is now fifth in MLS for goals scored, with a total of 12, and the Swiss ranks third for game winning goals, with four.
Captain Patrice Bernier has overtaken Patrick Diotte in the club’s all-time record book for minutes played and now sits fourth, with 16,033 minutes in MLS and in the second division.
Real Salt Lake also in playoff hunt
Saturday’s visitors, led by Mike Petke, are unbeaten in six and have won their three most recent away games. Currently occupying the eighth spot in the Western Conference, they are only three points below the red line.
The Impact is still unbeaten at home in its history against Real Salt Lake, with two wins in as many games and with a +4 goal differential.
Upcoming games
The Impact will play one of the season’s most anticipated games, on Sunday, August 27, at 4:30pm, as a new chapter of the rivalry with Toronto FC will unfold (TVA Sports, TSN, 98,5fm, TSN Radio 690 – TICKETS). The Bleu-blanc-noir will finish its four-game stint at home on September 2, with another meeting with Chicago Fire (TVA Sports, 98,5fm, TSN Radio 690 – TICKETS).
