Montreal Impact looking for 3 points against Weakened but Dangerous Sporting Kansas City team

Sporting Kansas City is coming to Montreal riding a 3-game winning streak. Whereas the Montreal Impact is still looking for a win in its last 5 games. Without Aurelien Collin and Matt Besler, Sporting KC will need to cope with the experienced Marco Di Vaio. On the other hand, the Impact needs to stave off a talented midfield with a choice of targets up front.

New-Look Defense vs Hungry Offense

Marco Di Vaio is back and eager to take back the MLS scoring lead. Daniele Paponi will be happy to see his Senpai back and the Impact will benefit from having the duo back together. The key , like it always is, is to get the ball to Di Vaio and he usually takes care of the rest.

Against a new-look KC defense, the Impact might take advantage of that inexperience but the yet again, can the midfield get the ball up front.

Rosell - Zusi - Feilhaber vs Bernier - Arnaud - Martins

Whatever hunger it had in the first half against FC Dallas, the Impact need to keep it tonight. Keeping the ball away from Benny Feilhaber and Graham Zusi, Montreal could focus on Uri Rosell and the young KC back line.

A counter attacking team hiding in the body of a dominant team, Montreal has the tools to take on the Eastern Conference leaders.

Who will dominated the sides

Against FC Dallas, Montreal has started to put in a claim for dominance in the wings. We will knew soon enough whether it was a one-time thing or a more permanent intention. If there is one team that knows about the wings, Kansas City is that team.

Against Real Salt Lake, Sporting KC attempted 21 crosses with a success rate of 42.9%. In a 4-3-3 setup, KC will look to stretch out the Impact while keeping the ability to strike in the middle. With quality players like Graham Zusi, there are enough difference makers to hurt Montreal. Add Claudio Bieler and Kei Kamara to the mix and you have more targets that also like to play out of position.

Notes

• Indirect FK: The Impact has shown that defending free kicks is not its forte. Sporting KC has enough targets and aggressiveness to hurt Montreal, even at Stade Saputo
• Direct FK: Graham Zusi and Soony Saad are dangerous on direct free kicks
• Avoid the Gap: between the Montreal midfield and defense. Remember all those long-range inaccurate shots by the Houston Dynamo? (2-0 Impact win) . Let's just say that giving space and time to Zusi and co. is not the best of ideas