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First Thoughts
After a 10 day break, the Montreal Impact will be back in action this Saturday. The Portland Timbers arrive in Montreal coming off a win against the previously undefeated Sporting Kansas City. The Impact will look to win their second straight match at home.
The men in blue last played on April 18, where they drew D.C. United 1-1 in the U.S. Capital. Montreal is adapting well to Major League Soccer. In their last few matches, they were able to dictate the nature of play. The main problem after eight matches comes in the attacking third. Lasting a full 90 minutes also seems to be a problem.
The visitors opened the season with a win, but were not able to win again until last weekend. The Timbers are currently sitting in last of the Western Conference on seven points. Scottish international and former Rangers FC striker Kris Boyd and Darlington Nagbe share the team's lead in goals with three.
Keep Thinking
The Montreal Impact will have had a week and a half to prepare for this encounter. In their last three matches, Montreal won, lost and tied. They will be looking for hometown support in this afternoon matchup.
The long delay between matches has its benefits and weaknesses. The break gives injured players a chance to recover without missing any action. At the same time, the 10-day hiatus can interrupt any momentum the Impact was carrying.
From the injury standpoint, the Impact's first signing, Nelson Rivas, is nearing a return. He is listed as questionable for Saturday afternoon's match. Colombian winger Miguel Montaño is listed as out and Mexican defender Gienir Garcia is doubtful.
Portland has a few injuries of its own. Midfielder Kalif Alhassan and goalkeeper Jake Gleeson are doubtful, while defender David Horst is questionable. Alhassan has appeared in five matches this season, starting four times and scoring once.
There are some interesting matchups to look forward to on Saturday afternoon. The all-time Scottish Premier League goal scorer Kris Boyd has already scored in half the matches he has played in this year. His 6' 1'', 180lbs frame will be tough to defend. Matteo Ferrari and company will have to find a way to keep this goal poacher off the score sheet.
Darlington Nagbe could also be a threat for Montreal. Portland Timbers manager John Spencer has the luxury of playing him as an outside midfielder or a striker to pair up with Boyd. MLS 'Goalkeeper of the Year' in 2006, Troy Perkins, is reliable in goal and has played every minute of the season.
Last Friday, the Montreal Impact and the Portland Timbers were involved in a trade. Forward Mike Fucito was sent to Portland after not settling in with his new team. He joined the Impact two months prior. In return, Montreal received a second round pick in the 2013 SuperDraft or an international roster slot. This all depends on Fucito's performance this year.
With Portland's 'players to watch', Jesse Marsch does have options to counter them. At the back, the recent center back duo of Matteo Ferrari and Shavar Thomas has been performing well together. If Marsch decides to stick with the pair, this can be an option to manage Boyd.
In the midfield, Felipe Martins and Collen Warner have also formed a formidable duo. The central midfielders have started the last four matches in a row, and they might very well start a fifth match.
On another note, coach Marsch has been using his captain as a utility player. Davy Arnaud is usually in the midfield, but has played at the back and up front. The Impact captain does have something extra to prove. He will be facing his good and long time friend Jack Jewsbury. They both played together in Kansas City until Jewsbury left for Portland in 2011.
Italian striker Bernardo Corradi seems to be the go-to-man in Montreal's attack. He has two goals in his last two games, scoring from the spot against D.C. United last match. Justin Braun briefly returned to action, playing a little over eight minutes as a substitute in D.C. Jesse Marsch barely played these two strikers together. Sanna Nyassi is normally the other striker, often drifting out to the right later during matches.
In The End
There is no such thing as an easy match in Major League Soccer. Montreal will have to stay strong to beat their former USL rivals. This will be the first competitive match these two sides play against each other as MLS teams. Also, winning individual battles will help either team grab a result from this encounter.
Prediction
Montreal Impact 1-0 Portland Timbers
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