Bleu-blanc-noir on a three-game winning streak against New Yorkers
HARRISON, New Jersey – The Montreal Impact will face the New York Red Bulls, this Saturday at 7:30pm EDT, for the first time at Red Bull Arena since eliminating Jesse Marsch’s team from MLS Cup playoff contention, this past fall (TVA Sports, 98,5fm, TSN Radio 690).
“It will feel like a playoff game,” said Impact head coach Mauro Biello. “They are on a good run, especially at home. It will be important for us to manage carefully the first portion of the game, when we know they will throw everything at us, to recognize what we can do to hurt them and to finish our actions.”
A growing rivalry
After facing each other in the MLS Cup playoffs Eastern Conference semifinals at the end of 2016, the two clubs continue to add fuel to the rivalry’s fire, one that has gone more often than not in favour of the Red Bulls. However, Montreal has won the past three meetings, including a very first win on the Red Bull Arena pitch, on November 6.
“The Red Bulls are amongst our direct competitors and they are doing well at the moment,” said captain Patrice Bernier. “We go over there to take points and to climb in the standings, in a stadium where it’s tough to win. We will have to go through the first moments of the game, when they typically press very hard. After that, spaces will open and with our attacking players, we know we can score goals.”
Salazar and Dzemaili seize their opportunities
Attacking midfielders Michael Salazar and Blerim Dzemaili are both on highly productive runs for the Bleu-blanc-noir. The Swiss international, who opened his account with Montreal against the Red Bulls on June 3, has scored four goals and added four assists in his past eight games, while the Belizean player, for his part, found the back of the net in his last three games.
The Red Bulls play with renewed aplomb
The New Yorkers, with Daniel Royer, Bradley Wright-Phillips and Sacha Kljestan as spearheads, are confident in front of goal at the moment, having scored 12 goals in four games. During this run, Royer, a 27-year-old Austrian winger, was the most productive, with a tally of four. Kljestan, meanwhile, has three assists in two games last week.
Centre-back Aurélien Collin, with a thigh injury, is doubtful for tomorrow’s game, and Kemar Lawrence, who played the Gold Cup final with Jamaica, is suspended.
Upcoming games
The Impact returns to Stade Saputo to play another direct rival in the playoff race, Orlando City SC, on Saturday, August 5, at 7:30pm (TVA Sports, 98,5fm, TSN Radio 690 – TICKETS), before a second game in a month against the Union, in Philadelphia, on Saturday, August 12, at 8pm (TVA Sports, 98,5fm, TSN Radio 690).
