The Montreal Impact are going all-in on their CONCACAF Champions League campaign, but after a pair of wins over Salvadoran outfit CD FAS, the task gets considerably harder when the New York Red Bulls come to town. The Red Bulls have already beaten FAS in their only game so far, and could still conceivably stay in contention even if Montreal win and move up to nine points, but an away win would pull them even on points with the Impact, and give them control of their own destiny in Group 3.
PERSONNEL DECISIONS: The Red Bulls and Impact have vastly different outlooks for the remainder of the 2014 season, and it has affected their personnel strategy for this game, and the CCL as a whole.
Montreal are all but eliminated from the playoff race, and are focusing their full resources on getting to the quarterfinals in this competition, as evidenced by the decision to start key contributors Marco Di Vaio and Ignacio Piatti on the bench for a 2-1 loss at the New England Revolution last weekend.
The Red Bulls, on the other hand, are still very much in the playoff race and are still far from assured of making it. Throw in a knock to leading scorer Bradley Wright-Phillips, and it’s little surprise to see head coach Mike Petke indicating that the team will field something less than a first-choice side in Montreal.
THE GOAL HUNT: With Wright-Phillips assured to miss the game and Thierry Henry an unlikely choice in a reserve-heavy lineup (he was not in the 18 against FAS), New York will be without their two most potent offensive weapons. Saer Sene and Peguy Luyindula, key contributors in the 2-0 win against FAS, will be expected to shoulder some of the scoring and playmaking burden, respectively, but it remains to be seen how they fare against a first-choice MLS defense, albeit one that’s conceded a league-worst 52 goals.
QUESTIONS AT THE BACK: This one might have a fair few goals in it – New York haven’t kept a whole lot of clean sheets in 2014 (four, tied for second-worst in the league), while Montreal are the leakiest team in the league, as detailed above. Throw in the fact that New York are likely to rest some first-choice players, including goalkeeper Luis Robles (Ryan Meara will stand in), against a Montreal lineup featuring the likes of Di Vaio and Piatti, and you have the recipe for an exciting, if not defensively sound game.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Ignacio Piatti, Montreal Impact: The newly-arrived Argentine has given Montreal fans something to cheer about, with four goals and an assist in five apperances since he came to the club in August. His skill on the ball and ability to create space for himself have given plenty of clubs headaches already, and a reserve-laden New York side will have its hand full.
Saer Sene, New York Red Bulls: With Wright-Phillips out, Sene, used mostly as a substitute but a starter and goalscorer against FAS, could be tasked with using his athleticism and powerful left foot to breach the Montreal backline. Despite the goal against FAS, though, there were also some glaring misses that Sene and the Red Bulls will hope to avoid this time around.
