Montreal Impact vs. Real Salt Lake | 2017 MLS Match Preview

Sam Stejskal

Montreal Impact vs. Real Salt Lake
2017 MLS Regular Season
Stade Saputo – Montreal, Quebec
Saturday, August 19 – 7:30 pm ET
WATCH: TVA Sports in Canada, MLS LIVE in the US

Neither the Montreal Impact nor Real Salt Lake are currently above the playoff line, but both are in the midst of serious runs up the table.

Montreal have revived their season over the last two weeks, winning three straight games, including a 3-0 romp over the Chicago Fire on Wednesday, to climb to seventh in the East and sixth in the conference in points per game. Salt Lake are further back in the West – eighth-place RSL are three points behind San Jose for the final playoff spot and have played more games than their playoff rivals – but are unbeaten in their last six and have won their last three road games.

A win on Saturday would add some serious juice to either side’s playoff hopes. A loss, particularly for RSL, would spell potential doom.

Montreal Impact

Suspended: None
Suspended next yellow card: M Hernan Bernardello, F Matteo Mancosu, F Ballou Tabla
International Duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: D Ambroise Oyongo (right knee surgery 6/13, out 6 months)

Projected Starting XI (4-3-3, left to right): Evan Bush – Daniel Lovitz, Victor Cabrera, Laurent Ciman, Chris Duvall – Hernan Bernardello, Samuel Piette, Blerim Dzemaili – Ignacio Piatti, Matteo Mancosu, Dominic Oduro

Notes: Ignacio Piatti scored twice against Chicago on Wednesday, giving him four goals in his last three games. The Argentine now has 12 goals and four assists in 18 matches this year ... While the East has generally had the upper hand against the West this year, Montreal have struggled against cross-conference competition, posting a 1-5-2 record against Western teams this year.

Real Salt Lake

Suspended: None
Suspended next yellow card: M Kyle Beckerman, D Chris Schuler
International Duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: F - Chad Barrett (knee surgery), M - Jordan Allen (knee surgery), M - Omar Holness (knee surgery), M - Ricardo Velazco (ankle surgery), GK - Matt VanOekel (ankle injury), D - Demar Phillips (hamstring injury)

Projected Starting XI (4-2-3-1, left to right): Nick Rimando – Chris Wingert, Justen Glad, Marcelo Silva, Tony Beltran – Kyle Beckerman, Sunny – Joao Plata, Albert Rusnak, Jefferson Savarino – Luis Silva

Notes: Last week's win at D.C. United gave RSL wins in their last three road games. Salt Lake have never won four consecutive road games in club history ... In the 12 games that Jefferson Savarino has started for RSL, the club has averaged 1.8 points per game. They're averaging 0.6 points per game in the 13 games he hasn't started.