MLS Club de Foot Montreal

Impact to Face Seattle Sounders FC on Saturday Night

March 30, 2018 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Club de Foot Montreal News Release


SEATTLE, Washington - The Montreal Impact will get back to work after a week off, this Saturday night at 10pm EDT, against the Seattle Sounders FC at CenturyLink Field (TVA Sports).

"This team is very good at home," said Impact head coach Rémi Garde. "Even if its start to the season has been a little complicated, I have no doubt that this is a solid opponent. We'll need to be vigilant since we didn't compete on the weekend. We were a little scattered due to the international selections, so we had to refocus our attention to Saturday's objective."

Remain focused

Montreal earned its first three points of the 2018 season two weeks ago, beating Toronto FC, defending champion, 1-0 at Olympic Stadium. Although this first victory came in the Impact's third game, the Bleu-blanc-noir has shown good things since the beginning of the campaign. Now, the arrivals of defender Rudy Camacho and midfielder Alejandro Silva will allow Rémi Garde to have a few more cards up his sleeve.

This will only mark the third meeting between the Impact and the Sounders at CenturyLink Field since Montreal arrived in MLS. The two clubs did however face off regularly before their respective promotions to first division North American soccer, with the Bleu-blanc-noir holding a slight advantage, posting a record of three victories, one of those away from home, two losses and one draw.

"We're focusing on what we want to do on our end and on what we want to impose throughout the game," said midfielder Samuel Piette. "The atmosphere over there can be intimidating for a few players, but once the game starts, we forget the crowd and we concentrate on the game."

Nacho Piatti, who has contributed to the scoresheet in all three of the Impact's games to start the season, cumulating a goal and two assists, could pass the 10,000-minute mark with the club in all competitions if he plays at least 23 minutes on Saturday. He'll become the 16th player to pass this milestone. The Argentine is two goals away from the 50-goal mark with the Montreal Impact.

Sounders going through a rough patch

The 2017 MLS Cup finalists aren't at their best at the moment. After its elimination from Concacaf Champions League earlier this month, Seattle still has no goals or points in the current MLS standings.

Not to mention that forwards Jordan Morris, out for the season, and Clint Dempsey, suspended, will miss the showdown. Will Bruin, on his end, is on the verge of passing the concussion protocol and remains questionable, just like Designated Player Nicolás Lodeiro, who suffered an injury to his right foot. Midfielders Ozzie Alonso and Víctor Rodríguez are also injured and unavailable for Saturday's game, whereas internationals Gustav Svensson, Román Torres, Cristian Roldan and Jordy Delem joined the team late this week, after having represented their respective countries.

"They've been in the final for two straight seasons," said goalkeeper Evan Bush. "They usually pick it up as the season goes along, after slower starts. We have to do everything so that they don't find that level against us. We're expecting a difficult game, especially in front of their loud supporters who create a great atmosphere."

Upcoming games

The Impact will visit Gillette Stadium next Friday night at 7:30pm to face the New England Revolution (TVA Sports, TSN, 98,5fm, TSN Radio 690), before heading to the Big Apple, where the New York Red Bulls await the Bleu-blanc-noir on Saturday, April 14 at 1pm (TVA Sports, 98,5fm, TSN Radio 690). Montreal will then head home for its first game at Stade Saputo against Los Angeles FC, on Saturday, April 21 at 1pm (TVA Sports, 98,5fm, TSN Radio 690 - TICKETS).

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