First time we host the Impact since 2008 playoffs (2-1 win for the good guys). For those of you who pre-date the MLS Sounders, this matchup always got a bit chippy, and the Impact had a bit of a... reputation for being less than classy (not just towards us, as the scum down south can tell you as well). In fact, the coach at the time went a bit... aggro on a blogger outside the locker room!
This fixture dates from 1994 so plenty of history (well, as history goes in north american footy) between these two sides. Most notably, the 2004 A-League final won in Montreal by the Impact 2-0, a Roger Levesque late winner in the 2005 playoffs to exact revenge on the way to a USL-1 championship, then the Impact overturning a deficit to put us out of the playoffs in 2008 in our last match in USL-1.
Then we have last year where we had quite arguably our worst performance of the year in a comprehensive defeat at Stade Saputo's re-opening, and once and now-again Sounder Lamar Neagle on the scoresheet.
Think we're going to see a rather defensive-minded Montreal side, but hopefully we can force them out of their shell and open the game up a bit.
Alonso and Burch are suspended, remember, so the XI will be a bit of guesswork.
