Montreal Impact vs. Philadelphia Union | 2020 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

2020 MLS Regular Season – Week 12
Montreal Impact vs. Philadelphia Union
Red Bull Arena – Harrison
September 20 – 7:00 PM ET

TV: TVA Sports

STREAMING: MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US

LOCAL TV: PHL17

Back at a venue synonymous with his greatness as a player, Thierry Henry the manager leads the Montreal Impact into Red Bull Arena hoping to put the Canadian Championship failure past them and garner three important league points against the Philadelphia Union at their temporary home Saturday night.

The Impact (5W-5L-1D) simply needed a win over the Vancouver Whitecaps Wednesday to book their spot in the CanChamp final and instead imploded, losing 3-1 at BC Place. The Union (6W-2L-3D) have won four of their last five league games, including a last-minute 2-1 victory over the New England Revolution.

Each team won at home by a big margin in their two meetings a season ago. Cory Burke, Haris Medunjanin and Alejandro Bedoya all netted goals as the Union claimed a 3-0 win on April 30 in Chester; Lassi Lappalainen and Orji Okwonkwo each netted a brace as the Impact took a 4-0 win July 27 at Stade Saputo.

Montreal Impact

Henry' warned of the difficulty of beating the same opponent on the road in quick succession, but surely he couldn't have even envisioned how difficult his own team would make it. Rudy Camacho was sent off for a punch out at Fredy Montero, who converted the subsequent penalty to put the Whitecaps in front in the 37th minute.

"It had a big impact on the game," Henry said after the match. "[It was] a red and a penalty at the same time. It’s not like you went down to 10 men and it was still 0-0. You went down to 10 men and it’s 1-0."

Updated team roster
Injury Report:
- OUT: Steeven Saba (M) - left foot injury
- OUT: Mathieu Choinière (M) - ankle injury
- OUT: Ballou Tabla (M) - adductor injury
Suspended: Emanuel Maciel (M), Rudy Camacho (D)
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None

Philadelphia Union

The Union are at the forefront of the #PlayYourKids movement with Brenden Aaronson and Mark McKenzie at the heart of the club's success week in and week out. Then Matt Real scored his first MLS goal in a rout over the New York Red Bulls and last Saturday, it was Anthony Fontana's chance to shine. The 20-year-old Homegrown struck for a brace, including the 95th-minute winner from distance to lift Philadelphia to a 2-1 win over the New England Revolution.

Fontana's goal matched the latest game-winning goal in Union history (José Kléberson, 10/5/2013, 1-0 vs TOR; Sebastien Le Toux, 7/17/2010, 2-1 vs TOR).

Updated team roster
Injury Report:
- OUT: Jack Elliott (D) - undisclosed injury
- OUT: Kai Wagner (D) - undisclosed injury
- QUESTIONABLE: Ilsinho (M) - undisclosed injury
- QUESTIONABLE: Sergio Santos (F) - hamstring injury
- QUESTIONABLE: Aurelien Collin (D) - leg injury
- QUESTIONABLE: Ray Gaddis (D) - undisclosed injury
Suspended: Jose Martinez (M)
Suspended after next caution: Alejandro Bedoya (M), Jamiro Monteiro (M)
International duty: None