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First thoughts
Currently mired in a seven game winless streak, the Montreal Impact will once again look to get a win and a massive monkey off their backs on Saturday at Stade Saputo. Their opponents, the Chicago Fire, will enter play sitting in 8th place in the Eastern Conference but also still very much in the hunt for a postseason berth.
After drawing against the Fire at Olympic Stadium in April, the Impact will once again endeavor to help Montreal Head Coach Frank Klopas to earn his first win against his former club.
Keep Thinking
It will be interesting to see how Montreal comes out of the gate in this one considering that the club is scheduled to travel to El Salvador for a CONCACAF Champions League match against C.D. FAS on Wednesday. With the Champions League representing something legitimate to play for this season, Montreal looked very much like a team looking forward to that competition when they faced off against TFC prior to their recent win at home over C.D. FAS.
New Impact Designated Player Ignacio Piatti has been training with the club and is available for selection. Whether or not he starts on Saturday, expect the Argentine number 10 to make his MLS debut against the Fire.
Regardless of whether or not Piatti can deliver some offensive magic right off the bat, this match has the potential to be a high scoring affair. With Chicago having given up six goals against Seattle midweek, Impact strikers Marco Di Vaio and Jack McInerney will likely be chomping at the bit to have a go at a struggling Fire back line.
Furthermore, Justin Mapp, arguably Montreal’s best player this season, will likely also be especially pumped to have a good game against his former team. Add in the fact, that Andres Romero has also been in good form and it has all the makings of a difficult night for the Fire defense.
On the Chicago side of the equation, forwards Quincy Amarikwa and Mike Magee will be looking to use their pace to take advantage of one of the slower central defense combinations in the league in Matteo Ferrari and Krzysztof Krol.
Final Thoughts
The Impact have to win a game eventually and the match against the Fire present s a decent opportunity for the team to do just that. Chicago will likely come into this one both physically and emotionally tired from an embarrassing 6-0 loss to the Seattle Sounders in the U.S. Open Cup while Montreal will have the home field advantage and a boost from the debut of the squad’s new Designated Player playmaker.
Prediction
Montreal Impact 3-2 Chicago Fire
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