MONTRÉAL IMPACT vs CHICAGO FIRE
STADE SAPUTO, Montréal, Qué.
September 5, 2015 (WEEK 27, MLS Game #269)
8 p.m. ET (TVA; CSN-Chi; MLS LIVE)
A critical match for two clubs trying to haul themselves back into the MLS Cup Playoffs picture is ahead when the Montréal Impact play host to the Chicago Fire at Stade Saputo on Saturday evening. It will be the first game in charge for Impact head coach Mauro Biello, who assumed the role after a third consecutive defeat for the club in a 2-1 loss to Toronto FC last weekend, leaving it a point outside of the top six in the Eastern Conference. The Fire are just one point further back, still winless on the road this season following their 1-1 draw at Orlando City SC last weekend.
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- The Impact suffered their third consecutive defeat, falling 2-1 at Toronto FC on Saturday afternoon. Dominic Oduro scored the lone Montréal goal, ending a 302-minute scoreless drought for the club in league play, the seventh-longest this season in MLS.
- The Impact are the first team in MLS to make a coaching change this year, Mauro Biello taking the reins after Frank Klopas was dismissed following the TFC defeat.
- The Fire posted a second consecutive draw on the road, but still remain winless on the season in away games, after their 1-1 draw at Orlando City SC on Saturday evening. The Fire are 0-7-5 on their travels, the only team in MLS without an away win.
- The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Harry Shipp, Jeff Larentowicz and Kennedy Igboananike netted goals to lead the Fire to a 3-0 win May 30 at Toyota Park.
- The first meeting victory was the first for the Fire since Aug. 10, 2013, a 2-1 win at Toyota Park. The Impact had won one of the four matches after (a 1-0 win last Aug. 16 at Stade Saputo), with three draws. The visiting team has never won in the series.
REFEREE:
Silviu Petrescu. AR1 (bench): Claudio Badea; AR2 (opposite): Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho; 4th: Mathieu Bourdeau
MLS Career: 103 games; FC/gm: 27.5; Y/gm: 3.6; R: 14; pens: 20
SUSPENDED:
MTL: Victor Cabrera (through Sept. 6); Laurent Ciman (through Sept. 16)
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: MTL: Marco Donadel, Dominic Oduro … CHI: Eric Gehrig, Matt Polster
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: MTL: Nigel Reo-Coker, Calum Mallace, Bakary Soumare, Andres Romero … CHI: Chris Ritter, Adailton, Patrick Nyarko, Kennedy Igboananike
DISABLED LIST:
MTL: Cameron Porter, Justin Mapp, Kenny Cooper (season-ending injury)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES:
MTL: Kyle Bekker, Maxime Crepeau (Canada, 9/4 vs. Belize; 9/8 at Belize); Laurent Ciman (Belgium; 9/3 vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina, 9/6 at Cyprus); Ambroise Oyongo (Cameroon; 9/6 at Gambia); Johan Venegas (Costa Rica; 9/5 vs. Brazil, 9/8 vs. Uruguay) … CHI: David Accam (Ghana; 9/1 vs. Congo; 9/5 at Rwanda); Daneil Cyrus, Joevin Jones (Trinidad & Tobago; 9/4 vs. Mexico)
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (9 meetings): Impact 2 wins, 9 goals … Fire 3 wins, 12 goals … Ties 4
AT MONTREAL (4 meetings): Impact 2 wins, 5 goals … Fire 0 wins, 2 goals … Ties 2
FUTURE MATCH:
9/23: Montreal Impact vs. Chicago Fire, 8 p.m.
- The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Harry Shipp, Jeff Larentowicz and Kennedy Igboananike netted goals to lead the Fire to a 3-0 win May 30 at Toyota Park.
- The first meeting victory was the first for the Fire since Aug. 10, 2013, a 2-1 win at Toyota Park. The Impact had won one of the four matches after (a 1-0 win last Aug. 16 at Stade Saputo), with three draws. The visiting team has never won in the series.
- Coaches record: Mauro Biello vs. CHI: first game … Frank Yallop vs. MTL: P6 W1 L2 D3
Related Content:
Montreal Impact announce coaching change, replacing Frank Klopas with Mauro Biello
Montreal Impact brass cite August slump, need for new momentum in parting ways with Frank Klopas
Montreal Impact interim coach Mauro Biello (again) tries to make his mark: "It's my chance"
ExtraTime Radio: The inside scoop on Montreal's coaching carousel
After difficult start to 2015, Chicago Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson recapturing his fine form
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