DC United vs. Montreal Impact | 2020 MLS Match Preview

2020 MLS Regular Season – Week 24
D.C. United vs. Montreal impact
Audi Field – Washington, D.C.
 November 8 – 3:30 PM ET

TV: TSN1, TVA Sports

STREAMING: MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US

LOCAL TV: WJLA 24/7 News

The playoffs start early for D.C. United and the Montreal Impact who meed on Decision Day presented by AT&T trying to lock up one of the final coveted berths in the 2020 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Sunday afternoon at Audi Field. 

At 0.95 points per game, D.C. United (5W-11L-6D) are one of three teams below the playoff line in the East still alive for one of the last two berths in the Eastern Conference. Their improbable run started after the departure of longtime head coach Ben Olsen and the Black-and-Red's unbeaten run stretched to four, including three consecutive victories before a devastating 4-3 defeat to the New England Revolution in Week 22. 

• Playoff scenarios:How Decision Day could impact the playoff field
• What's at stake: Key races to watch for during Decision Day's 13 games
• Playoff schedule:Match schedule, dates, times and TV details

The Impact (7-13-2) enter Decision Day above the playoff line at 1.05 PPG, but Thierry Henry's squad have lost three in a row and five of their last six, including a 1-0 defeat to Orlando City SC at Red Bull Arena, their American-based home venue, on Nov. 1. 

This is the second meeting this season and ironically the teams already had similar stakes on the line in Orlando in July when the Impact won 1-0 to reach the Round of 16 of the MLS is Back Tournament, while D.C. United were eliminated from advancing. Saphir Taider scored the lone goal just past the half-hour mark. 

D.C. United

Edison Flores collected a pair of assists, his first two in 12 MLS appearances, Moses Nyeman recorded his first career assist and Yordy Reyna picked up his first assist with D.C. United since coming via trade from Vancouver. All those were positives for interim coach Chad Ashton, but a two-goal lead inside the opening 26 minutes was washed away on a rainy Sunday night at Gillette Stadium and D.C. United conceded three goals after halftime to suffer a crushing 4-3 defeat to the Revs. It was a thriller for the neutral, but a nightmare for D.C. United. 

Columbus Crew SC assistant coach Ezra Hendrickson has emerged as a favorite to fill the vacant D.C. United head coaching job, according to Steve Goff of the Washington Post. 

Goff reports Hendrickson impressed enough in a preliminary interviews to be considered among a group of 5-6 finalists, but the Crew would be owed compensation if hired by D.C. Ashton, former New York Red Bulls coach Chris Armas and Jill Ellis are also reportedly in the mix. 

With the Black-and-Red needing a win, they could receive a big lift with Paul Arriola likely making his return from an ACL injury suffered in preseason. Ashton expects the midfielder/winger to feature in some capacity. 

"He has looked excellent in training,” Ashton said. “We'll see how the game goes, but we fully expect him to play a role in the game and go out there and be a major factor in terms of the result of the game."

• Updated team roster
• Injury Report:
  • OUT: Mohammed Abu (M) - undisclosed injury
  • OUT: Ulises Segura (M) - undisclosed injury
  • OUT: Felipe (M) - ACL injury
  • OUT: Steve Birnbaum (D) - undisclosed injury
  • QUESTIONABLE: Chris Odoi-Atsem (D) - concussion protocol
  • QUESTIONABLE: Joseph Mora (D) - undisclosed injury
• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: Yamil Asad (M), Junior Moreno (M)
• International duty: None

Montreal Impact

The Impact picked the wrong time of the season to have a power outage. A 1-0 defeat to Orlando City SC in Week 22 was their second consecutive defeat by that scoreline. It is the first time this season Montreal have failed to score in back-to-back games. They were shut out just twice total in the first 20 games of the season.

One player on attack the Impact are sorely missing down the stretch is Finland international winger Lassi Lappalainen, who is out for the season after shoulder surgery. Montreal extended his loan from sister club Bologna through the 2021 season, the club announced Wednesday. The 22-year-old joined the Impact on loan in the summer of 2019. He has nine goals and two assists across 24 MLS appearances (15 starts). He has seven caps with the Finnish national team.

“We are happy that Lassi stays with us for another year,” sporting director Olivier Renard said in a club statement. “Despite suffering a few injuries, he proved again this year that he is an important part of the roster and helps the team by scoring goals in this league. His surgery went well two weeks ago and he will be available for the training camp in 2021. We wish him a speedy recovery."

Henry said that his side is preparing for an intense matchup against a team that has seen its form improve in recent weeks after limping through much of the season. If they can get it done, the coach didn't down play what it would mean to the organization after a season rife with adversity.

"Oh, it would be great for the club," Henry said. "Not only for me and the squad, for everybody involved. A lot of people here that you don't see that came here to help for us to be in a better situation. So it would mean a great deal, obviously, if we can achieve that with all the things we've had to deal with. We're not the only team in this league [that had adversity], we've had to deal with it more with some stuff. But that's the way it is. It would be a great deal obviously if we can win against D.C.

"We had to battle against them at the MLS is Back Tournament. Those guys are in a different momentum since more so than when we played them at MLS is Back. So we'll see what's going to happen. One thing that's pretty sure  that you can expect from D.C. is that they are going to fight. They always have been, when you play against them, they're always going to fight and give you a difficult time on the field, so we need to adapt to that and have a good result, but it won't be easy."

• Updated team roster
• Injury Report:
  • OUT: Mathieu Choinière (M) - ankle injury
  • OUT: Lassi Lappalainen (M) - shoulder injury
• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: Luis Binks (D)
• International duty:  None

Series Matchup at D.C. United

• D.C. United: 4 wins, 15 goals
• Impact: 1 win, 5 goals
• 4 draws

Officials

• Referee: Rubiel Vazquez
• Assistant Referees: Logan Brown, Brian Poeschel
• 4th Official: Thomas Snyder
• VAR: Armando Villarreal