Impact Back at Home at Saputo Stadium vs. Columbus Crew

Montreal may face snowy Saputo debut on Saturday

Fresh off a two-week break in the schedule, the Impact are back in Montreal to face the Columbus Crew in the club’s first game of the season at Saputo Stadium. As usual the Impact played two games at Olympic Stadium earlier this year and weather could be a factor on the pitch this weekend.

A spring snowstorm is expect to hit Montreal Friday, dropping up to 25 centimeters of snow to go along with a healthy dose of freezing rain. So, not exactly outdoor soccer weather, but the Impact (set as +100 favorites at Sports Interaction) look ready to give Columbus (+240) all it can handle. Montreal has four wins in its first five games and sits at the top of the Eastern Conference, one point clear of Sporting Kansas City. The Impact also just enjoyed a two-week break in the schedule which not only allowed them some valuable training time, but also gave key players like Alessandro Nesta time to recover from injuries. Nesta, the veteran defender, is expected back in the lineup for Saturday’s game.

So far, new manager Marco Schällibaum has to be pleased with the product his side has put on the field. The Impact’s intensity has been impressive throughout the early season. “It comes from him [Schällibaum] but it has to come from within the team as well, amongst each other,” Montreal captain Davy Arnaud told CTV News. “The demand and the expectations have to be at the highest level every day and he sets that tone for us. I think you can see that. He really sets that tone.”

They’ll need to be in top form against the Crew, which have taken five points from their last three games.  “The game will be tough and you need to be ready,” assistant coach Mauro Biello added. “It’s not just physically, but you need to be ready mentally.”

The Impact will be looking for revenge against the Crew Saturday as well. The last time the two squads hooked up in Columbus, Montreal let a 1-0 lead slip, conceding two goals in the last 10 minutes of play. But that was then and this is now.

“We’re better equipped, and we can withstand pressure better with a view a surprise counterattack,” midfielder Patrice Bernier told MLSsoccer.com. “We’re now more experienced, more mature and better able to manage those tight games and hold strong at the end.”

That’s exactly what the Impact could be in for Saturday against the Columbus Crew.