Pre-Game: @ Montreal Impact

by Brendan "Dr. Voice" Wyatt 

It’s game day or le jour du match as they may say in Montreal where the Rapids look to extend their winning streak.   The Impact; an Eastern Conference team is one that the burgundy boys only play once a year and visit every other year.  This will only be the second time that the Rapids travel to the Island that is Montreal and the last time they were there they stole three points in a memorable 4-3 win.

Last year it was a different story.  Most of us don’t need the reminder of Drogba’s free kick in the first half that proved to be the only goal of the game.  The biggest threat the burgundy boys face is Montreal’s set pieces.  It doesn’t have to be just Drogba, but Dominic Oduro and Ignacio Piatti are difference makers as well.  Piatti is the Impact’s leading scorer with four goals thus far. 

 

While Montreal sits first in the East, a win for the Rapids tonight will put them in first place in the West. Both Drogba and Jermaine Jones played their first game two weeks ago so with both teams enjoying a decent run of form it may come down to one of those guys to help push their team to a win.  Speaking of form, Luis Solignac has been enjoying a good run lately scoring three goals in his last four games.  There could be some shuffling of the lineup this week for the burgundy boys, but I think even with Kevin Doyle returning to the starting lineup that Lucho will also be a part of the eleven guys to who take the pitch this afternoon.

 

The Rapids have a few injuries that will affect the depth of the bench as well as shuffle up a few things.  Dom Badji and Eric Miller still have some concerns with their legs; Marc Burch still has an abdomen thing. Marlon Hairston, Jared Watts and of course Sean St. Ledger are also listed out.  While it is not injury related, Dennis Castillo was sent to Charlotte for this week because of some “paperwork issue” that meant he couldn’t travel to Canada at this time. 

 

We should see the team do their best to play the game they have been, and focus more on their shape.  The midfield battle will continue and we will all be watching Michael Azira and Jermaine Jones work their magic and sit on the edge of our seat until Gashi gets his next goal.  Axel Sjoberg and Mekeil Williams are going to be giving it everything to shut down the threats of Drogba and Piatti. 

 

This is a 2pm kickoff on Altitude, there is no official downtown watch party but these are a few bars that will be showing the game. 

 

Wonderland Brewery at 5450 W. 120th Ave in Broomfield.

South Metro:  Blue Spruce as always at 4151 E. County Line Rd., Centennial.

Ft. Collins:  Road 34. 1213 W. Elizabeth, Ft. Collins. 

Predicted starting XI: MacMath; Williams, Sjoberg, Burling, Serna; Cronin, Azira; Solignac, Jones, Gashi; Doyle.