Montreal Impact vs. Los Angeles Football Club | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Dylan Butler

Montreal Impact vs. LAFC
2018 MLS Regular Season - Week 8
Stade Saputo — Montreal
April 21 - 1 pm ET
WATCH: TVAS, ESPN+

At long last, the snow has cleared and Stade Saputo is open for business.

The Montreal Impact will welcome a return to their home ground after playing five away matches with their only other home game — a 2-0 win over rival Toronto FC — at neighboring Olympic Stadium.

LAFC, which bounced back well from two straight defeats to beat Vancouver Whitecaps FC last week, knows nothing but road games, with the grand opening of Banc of California Stadium still a week away.

Montreal Impact

After absorbing early pressure and conceding an early goal last Saturday, the Impact (2-4-0) did well to get back into the game and level on a sensational free kick by Jeisson Vargas. But the New York Red Bulls lifted their level after halftime and Montreal had no response, falling to 0-9-0 all-time at Red Bull Arena following a 3-1 defeat.

“We created a lot of chances, we got back to even, we could’ve taken the lead, probably a couple of times,” Montreal goalkeeper Evan Bush said after the game. “Then, in the second half, I don’t think the reaction was good and the energy I don’t think was as good as we would like it to be, for whatever reason.”

A positive for the Impact was Ignacio Piatti’s return from injury. His insertion was one of two changes for Remi Garde following a road loss at New England. Rudy Camacho, who arrived from Waasland-Beveren on March 22, also made his debut in central defense.

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: D - Zakaria Diallo (ruptured Achilles tendon), D - Kyle Fisher (tibia), M - Marco Donadel (gluteal muscle), D - Michael Petrasso (undisclosed), M - David Choinere (ankle surgery); QUESTIONABLE: F - Matteo Mancosu (calf)

Projected Starting XI
(5-3-2, right to left)
GK: Evan Bush — Chris Duvall, Victor Cabrera, Rod Fanni, Rudy Camacho, Jukka Raitala — Ken Krolicki, Samuel Piette, Saphir Taider — Jeisson Vargas, Ignacio Piatti

Notes: Saphir Taider’s red card against New England was the Impact’s 30th in regular season MLS history, tied for the third most of any MLS team since Montreal joined the league (2012 season). … Montreal’s goals conceded (12, T-3rd worst) and expected goals against (13.5, 2nd worst) both rank in the bottom three in MLS entering this weekend.

LAFC

It was about the ideal response for LAFC (3-2-0), rebounding from conceding nine goals in back-to-back defeats to beat Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 2-0, at BC Place Friday night. Carlos Vela and Diego Rossi scored second-half goals, both assisted by Marco Urena, and LAFC locked things down defensively for their second clean sheet of the season.

“Really strong response," said LAFC coach Bob Bradley, who switched to a 3-4-3 formation against Vancouver. "We talk about getting better week to week. We talk about it from the standpoint of our football and also having a competitive edge and how to win different kind of games.

"Today, I think a lot goes into that second category. Vancouver's a difficult team to play against. Our competitiveness, our concentration, were very good today."

Vela was named to the MLS Team of the Week presented by Audi for Week 7.

Suspended: None
Suspended after next caution: None
International duty: None
Injury Report: OUT: GK - Luis Lopez (right tibial stress fracture); QUESTIONABLE: D/M - Omar Gaber (right knee LCL sprain)

Projected Starting XI
(3-4-3, right to left)
GK: Tyler Miller — Dejan Jakovic, Walker Zimmerman, Laurent Ciman — Steven Beitashour, Benny Feilhaber, Mark-Antony Kaye, Jordan Harvey — Diego Rossi, Marco Urena, Carlos Vela

Notes: Following his two assists against Vancouver, Ureña is now tied for second in the league in assists (four) and tied for sixth in the league in chances created (15). … In their three wins, LAFC has a shot conversion rate of 19.1%. In their two losses, that number drops to 9.7%.