Montreal Impact vs. Chicago Fire | 2017 MLS Match Preview

Ben Couch

Montreal Impact vs. Chicago Fire
2017 MLS Match Preview
Stade Saputo – Montreal, Quebec
Saturday, September 2 – 7 p.m. ET
WATCH: TVA Sports; MLS LIVE in US

Though both these teams are coming off a loss, they're headed in drastically opposite directions. The Montreal Impact suffered a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Supporters' Shield leaders Toronto FC, snapping a four-match winning streak that had them ascendant in the Eastern Conference. Even in defeat, penned in at every opportunity, Ignacio Piatti still found a way to score, and if recent form -- or Montreal's 1-0-1 advantage in the season series -- is any indication, he could be making the home fans happy on Saturday.

The Chicago Fire lost … again, this time allowing expansion side Minnesota United FC to earn their first away victory with a 2-1 point grab at Toyota Park. Their sixth defeat in seven matches, Saturday's showing marked yet another effort with – at best – a lone goal, for a team whose offense had been crackling throughout pre-All-Star campaign. Without the attack on track, the Fire's playoff positioning, once a seeming top-three lock, has become surprisingly shaky.

Montreal Impact

Suspended: NONE
Int’l Duty: M - David Choiniere (CAN), F - Anthony Jackson-Hamel (CAN), M - Samuel Piette (CAN), D - Laurent Ciman (BEL), M - Blerim Dzemaili (SWI), D - Shaun Francis (JAM)
Injury Report: OUT: D - Ambroise Oyongo (right knee surgery)

Projected Starting XI
(4-3-3; left-to-right)
GK: Evan Bush – Daniel Lovitz, Hassoun Camara, Victor Cabrera, Chris Duvall – Louis Beland-Goyette, Marco Donadel, Patrice Bernier – Ignacio Piatti, Matteo Mancosu, Michael Salazar

Notes: Ignacio Piatti has scored seven goals in his last five games, scoring in all five games the Impact played during August.

Chicago Fire

Suspended: NONE
Int’l Duty: M - Dax McCarty (USA)
Injury Report: OUT: M - John Goossens (right ankle surgery), D - Matej Dekovic (adductor injury), GK - Jorge Bava (left elbow injury), D - Brandon Vincent (left quad strain), M - Daniel Johnson (left MCL injury), D - Joao Meira (right calf injury), D - Christian Dean (fifth metatarsal fracture); QUESTIONABLE: D - Matt Polster (left knee injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-3-3; left-to-right)
GK: Matt Lampson – Patrick Doody, Jonathan Campbell, Johan Kappelhof, Drew Conner – Djordje Mihailovic, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Juninho – Luis Solignac, Nemanja Nikolic, David Accam

Notes: Nemanja Nikolic has appeared in 26 games, scoring in 12 of them this year. The Fire have won 10 of the 12 matches (1L-1D). In the 14 games he has failed to score in, the Fire have only won twice (8L-4D).