What You’ll Watch

The Seattle Sounders remain on the road as the travel North of the border to take on the Montreal Impact on Wednesday night. This is the one and only meeting between these two teams in 2019.

Montreal currently sits in 5th place in the Eastern Conference standings with a record of 7-7-3 (24 points in 17 games played; 1.41 ppg) and Seattle remains in third place in the Western Conference standings with a record of 7-3-5 (26 points in 15 games played; 1.73 ppg). Last time out, Montreal lost at home to Orlando City 23-0 and the Sounders lost 2-1 on the road against FC Dallas.

This will be the 8th all-time meeting between the two clubs. Seattle is just 2-4-1 with six goals scored and nine conceded. In Montreal, the Sounders are 1-2-1 in four games played with five goals scored and seven conceded. The Sounders are 0-2 at Stade Saputo, where this game will be played.

Tale of the Tape

Seattle

Last Five: W-W-T-L-L

Leading Goal Scorer: Raul Ruidiaz, six goals

Assist Leader: Nicolas Lodeiro, eight assists

Montreal

Last Five: W-L-T-L-W

Leading Goal Scorer: Saphir Taider, five goals

Assist Leader: Maximiliano Urruti, five assists

Injury Report, Suspensions and International Duty

Montreal

Out: Ignacio Piatti (knee), Orji Okwonkwo (leg injury), Mathieu Choiniere (concussion)

Questionable: Clement Bayiha (leg injury), Bacary Sagna (left foot injury)

Suspensions: N/A

International Duty: Daniel Lovitz (United States), Zachary Brault-Gillard (Canada), Samuel Piette (Canada), Micheal Azira (Uganda), Omar Browne (Panama) and Jukka Raitala (Finland)

Seattle

Questionable: Kim Kee-Hee (knee), Victor Rodriguez (hamstring)

Suspensions: N/A

International Duty: Nicolas Lodeiro (Uruguay), Raul Ruidiaz (Peru), Xavier Arreaga (Ecuador), Jordan Morris (United States), Cristian Roldan (United States), Roman Torres (Panama), Gustav Svensson (Sweden) and Brad Smith (Australia)

Match Officials

REFEREE: Nima Saghafi

AR1: Nick Uranga

AR2: Chris Wattan

4th: Lukasz Szpala

VAR: Guido Gonzales Jr.

AVAR: Robert Schaap

What to Watch

• A few weeks ago, it looked like the Impact might actually be pretty good. They were 6-4-2, but had played just three home games and star midfielder Ignacio Piatti had only played three matches. Five matches later, though, it’s fair to wonder if they might actually be in a bit of trouble. Piatti came back, only to hurt himself in his second game and is now out for a couple more months at least. The Impact have gone 1-3-1, while playing three of those matches at home and look like they’ll probably be fighting for a playoff spot again.
• As short-handed as the Sounders are expected to be, they should still manage to field a roster of at least 16-17 players. The Impact, however, have already been allowed to make a “hardship” signing which means they were expecting to have fewer than 14 outfield players available. Among their missing players are six who would almost certainly be starting with a fully fit roster.
• How the Impact react to their short-handedness is anyone’s guess, but they’ve primarily set up in a 4-3-3. They’ve also lined up a couple times in a 5-3-2. Regardless of how they line up, this is a defense first team that is far more concerned with limiting shots than taking them. The Impact rank 22nd of 24 teams in shots for, while allowing the fourth fewest shots.
• Of the players who are expected to play, the Sounders will most need to worry about Maxi Urruti (one goal, five assists) and Saphir Taider (five goals, one assist). Urruti continues to be an active, high-pressing forward. His finishing remains elusive, but he creates plenty of chances. Much of the Impact’s offense runs through Taider and he’s often pushed as high as the forwards.
• It’s becoming a bit of a broken record, but this is a team that the Sounders should be able to handle even in their depleted state. A fast start certainly wouldn’t hurt, but there’s no reason they need to press the action either.

Projected lineups

Montreal (4-3-3): Bush; Kinumbe, Camacho, Diallo, Cabrera; Taider, Azira (CDM), Shome; Urruti, Jackson-Hamel, Browne

Sounders (4-2-3-1): Frei; Kelvin Leerdam, Jonathan Campbell, Saad Abdul Salaam, Nouhou; Alex Roldan, Jordy Delem; Harry Shipp, Victor Rodriguez, Joevin Jones; Bruin

How to Watch

Date/Time: Wednesday, June 5 @ 4:30 PM

Location: Stade Saputo — Montreal, Quebec, Canada

TV: JOEtv

Streaming: YouTube TV, ESPN+ (out of market, affiliate-link)

Radio: 950 KJR AM (English), El Rey 1360AM (Spanish)

Sounder at Heart has affiliate partnerships. These do not influence editorial content, though Sounder at Heart may earn commissions for products purchased via affiliate links.