The Montreal Impact charged up the standings in August, posting a 4-1-0 record to move into playoff contention in the Eastern Conference.
The biggest reason for their summer surge? Star midfielder Ignacio Piatti, who earned Alcatel MLS Player of the Month honors for his stellar August.
Piatti recorded seven goals and one assist in five games for Montreal, recording back-to-back braces in a 3-0 win against Chicago on Aug. 16 and a 3-1 victory over Real Salt Lake on Aug. 19. He found the scoresheet in all five of Montreal’s matches during the month, notched two game-winning goals and recorded a goal and an assist in a 3-0 win at Philadelphia on Aug. 12. He tallied one goal in a 2-1 win against Orlando on Aug. 5 and in Montreal’s 3-1 home loss to Toronto on Sunday.
A 2016 MLS Best XI selection, Piatti is tied for fourth in the MLS Golden Boot race with 15 goals, four behind league leader David Villa. He’s added four assists for the Impact in 20 regular season appearances this year.
While he’s been on a tear, Piatti’s run hasn’t been without controversy. The 32-year-old Argentine is out of contract at the end of the season and has spoken publicly about negotiations, with some speculating that 2017 may be his last season in Montreal.
Piatti and his Montreal teammates will have a chance to move out of seventh place and above the playoff line on Saturday when they host the Fire at Stade Saputo (7 pm ET | TVA Sports in Canada, MLS LIVE in the US).
The Alcatel MLS Player of the Month is voted on by a panel of select national media members in a process conducted by MLS Communications.
