Montreal Impact vs. San Jose Earthquakes | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Montreal Impact vs. San Jose Earthquakes
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 20
Stade Saputo — Montreal
July 14 – 7:30 pm ET
WATCH: TVAS, ESPN+

The Montreal Impact look to bounce back from a 3-0 midweek loss at New York City FC and return to Stade Saputo, where they’ve won their last four games, to take on a San Jose Earthquakes side that has one win in 10 games away from Avaya Stadium this year.

The Quakes are winless in their last nine games, including a 2-1 defeat against the Portland Timbers last Saturday.

Montreal Impact

After winning their previous four games, and five of their last six, the Impact (8-12-0) conceded three goals after halftime to fall, 3-0, at NYCFC Wednesday night.

Without Alejandro Silva and Matteo Mancosu in the starting XI, Montreal’s attack was anemic at Yankee Stadium, failing to put three total shots on frame.

“I think we played a team that tonight was better than us,” Remi Garde said. “Then we struggled to create chances. I think that the spirit and fight of the team was still good, which is a good point of tonight. But we couldn’t play again the way we played last [game].”

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: D – Chris Duvall, M – Ken Krolicki
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: D – Zakaria Diallo (ruptured Achilles tendon), D – Kyle Fisher (tibia injury), M – David Choiniere (ankle injury), M – Louis Beland-Goyette (calf injury), D – Rudy Camacho (calf injury); QUESTIONABLE: M – Jeisson Vargas (undisclosed injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-3-3, right to left)
GK: Evan Bush — Chris Duvall, Rod Fanni, Jukka Raitala, Daniel Lovitz — Ken Krolicki, Samuel Piette, Saphir Taider — Alejandro Silva, Matteo Mancosu, Ignacio Piatti

San Jose Earthquakes

A stretch of three consecutive draws was snapped when San Jose (2-10-6) fell to Portland, 2-1, at Providence Park on Saturday.

Samuel Armenteros struck for a brace, his second goal putting the hosts in front, 2-0, in the 53rd minute. Florian Jungwirth cut the Quakes’ deficit in half in the 87th minute, but an equalizer was not in the books.

“Even though we have had too many defeats, we are still in every single game,” Mikael Stahre said. “We have lost by more than one goal in just one game, but they are still defeats. We have to win games. Tonight, we played against a team that controlled the game right from the first second. We did have some chances, but overall they controlled the game and deserved three points this evening.”

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: M – Anibal Godoy
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: QUESTIONABLE: D – Kevin Partida (undisclosed injury), F – Danny Hoesen (undisclosed injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-4-2, right to left)
GK: Andrew Tarbell — Nick Lima, Jimmy Ockford, Harold Cummings, Shea Salinas — Magnus Eriksson, Anibal Godoy, Florian Jungwirth, Vako — Quincy Amarikwa, Chris Wondolowski

All-Time Series

• Overall: Montreal Impact 3 wins, 11 goals … San Jose Earthquakes 1 win, 6 goals … 1 draw
• At Montreal: Impact 3 wins, 8 goals … Earthquakes 0 wins, 2 goals … 0 draws
• Last meeting at Montreal: Montreal Impact 3, San Jose Earthquakes 1 (Sept. 28, 2016)

Officials

Referee: Joseph Dickerson
Assistant Referees: Peter Manikowski, Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho
4th Official: Sorin Stoica
VAR: Kevin Terry Jr.