The Black-and-Red prepare for their biggest match of the season this Saturday when they face the Montreal Impact at 7 PM at Audi Field. Here's what to know about the Impact ahead of this weekend's clash.
Recent Matches
The Impact have won three of their last five matches, beating the Chicago Fire 2-1 at home, the New York Red Bulls 3-0 at home, and the Philadelphia Union 4-1 on the road. In their most recent match, Montreal hosted New York City FC on Septeber 22 and split points in a 1-1 draw.
Players to Watch
Montreal have had a diverse range of goal scorers throughout their last five matches, scoring a total of eleven goals from eight different players. Uruguayan midfielder Alejandro Silva leads the pack with three goals in the last five games—two against Philadelphia and one against Toronto, bringing his season goal total to four. Argentine Ignacio Piatti has remained prolific, tallying 13 goals and 13 assists this season and scoring twice in his last five matches. Defensively, Montreal have had their highs and lows throughout the season. United will look to use their home-field advantage to break apart the Impact's back line and get on the scoresheet early and often.
Head-to-Head
D.C. have faced Montreal once already this year, a 1-1 draw in Montreal on August 4. The Black-and-Red came out of the gates a bit slow and the Impact made them pay, as Matteo Mancosu opened the scoring for Montreal with a quick goal in the 5th minute. United remained a goal down and were forced to chase for much of the match, but the Black-and-Red were able to salvage a point on the road with a 70th minute tap-in goal from Luciano Acosta to Yamil Asad.
Playoff Implications
Montreal currently sit in the No. 6 spot in the Eastern Conference standings with 40 points earned and 30 games played. D.C. United are just behind them in the No. 7 spot with 35 points across 28 games played. While D.C. United can’t overtake Montreal this weekend, a win at home would put them well within striking distance. D.C. still have two games in hand over the Impact, but with the regular season winding down, three points at home (and a zero-point weekend for the Impact) would push United into a prime position to clinch a postseason spot in the coming weeks.
