Montreal Impact vs. New York City FC | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

Montreal Impact vs. NYCFC
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 30
Stade Saputo — Montreal
Sept. 22 — 7:30 pm ET
WATCH: TVAS, ESPN+

The Montreal Impact can move up the Eastern Conference standings and earn a measure of revenge for a July loss in New York against a New York City FC side desperate to end a stretch of one win in their last eight games.

The Impact are coming of a huge 4-1 win at Philadelphia to move within a point of the fifth-place Union, while NYCFC are well-rested after last playing on Sept. 8 — a 1-1 draw against D.C. United.

This is the second meeting this season, with NYCFC cruising to a 3-0 win at Yankee Stadium on July 11. Jesus Medina and Ronald Matarrita scored five minutes apart at the hour mark and Jonathan Lewis capped the scoring in the 76th minute.

Montreal Impact

Montreal (12-14-3) erased an early deficit to score four goals without answer in an impressive 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union Saturday night at Talen Energy Stadium for the Impact’s third win in their last four games.

Alejandro Silva scored the first of his two goals to equalize after Auston Trusty put the Union in front on 11 minutes. Saphir Taider gave Montreal the lead in the 39th minute and Quincy Amarikwa and Silva tacked on insurance goals in the second half.

“Against a direct team that we are fighting with for the playoffs, this was very important for us,” Remi Garde said.

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: D - Chris Duvall
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: M - David Choiniere (ankle surgery), D - Kyle Fisher (quad injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-3-3, right to left)
GK: Evan Bush — Bacary Sagna, Rod Fanni, Rudy Camacho, Daniel Lovitz — Michael Azira, Samuel Piette, Saphir Taider — Alejandro Silva, Quincy Amarikwa, Ignacio Piatti

New York City FC

After three games in eight days, NYCFC (14-8-7) return to action for the first time in 14 days when they head to Montreal Saturday night.

NYCFC had a pair of dominating performances, but managed just one point from home matches against Eastern Conference foes New England and D.C. United. Despite the recent poor run of form, coach Dome Torrent was encouraged by the way his team played in those matches.

“I think right now, I say tonight, if we’re able to play in that way, not just here at Yankee Stadium, even away, I say to you right now we have more possibilities to win MLS,” Torrent said following the draw against D.C. United.

NYCFC are 4-7-3 on the road this season, their lowest win total since their inaugural season, and are 1-3-0 in their last four games away from Yankee Stadium.

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: M - Tommy McNamara, M - Yangel Herrera, D - Alex Callens
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: M - Yangel Herrera (ankle injury), D - Cedric Hountondji (hamstring injury); QUESTIONABLE: M - Jesus Medina (hamstring injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-3-3, right to left)
GK: Sean Johnson — Anton Tinnerholm, Maxime Chanot, Alex Callens, Ben Sweat — Alex Ring, Ebenezer Ofori, Maxi Moralez — Ismael Tajouri-Shradi, David Villa, Ronald Matarrita

All-Time Series

Overall: Montreal Impact 1 win, 8 goals … New York City FC 5 wins, 16 goals … 2 draws
At Montreal: Impact 0 wins, 2 goals … NYCFC 3 wins, 6 goals … 0 draws
Last meeting at Montreal: Montreal Impact 0, New York City FC 1 (Sept. 27, 2017)