Impact, FC Dallas look to end droughts
It has been a while since the Montreal Impact has won a game. FC Dallas has endured an even longer drought.
Both teams hope to end a lengthy winless streak when they clash on Saturday night at Saputo Stadium.
The Impact (9-5-4) has two draws and a pair of defeats in its last four games, but Dallas (8-5-7) tops that by going winless in six straight Major League Soccer matches — and seven overall if you count a loss to Portland in U.S. Open Cup play.
Montreal’s latest setback was a 4-0 thumping on the road to the New York Red Bulls last weekend, which knocked them out of first place in the Eastern Conference.
“It’s true it was a bad game, we can’t hide that,” fullback Hassoun Camara said this week. “It wasn’t good on any level. We know we have to work hard and talk together on that. It has to be an alert for the rest of the season. We have a good team, good players and we know we can answer back on Saturday.”
In its last four outings, the Impact blew leads twice in the second half to fall 4-3 at home to Colorado, drew 3-3 in Toronto, tied lowly Chivas USA 1-1 at home and then were spanked by the Red Bulls.
A defence that had previ- ously been solid surrendered 12 goals in the four games.
Still, team owner and president Joey Saputo gave his team a passing mark in his mid-season assessment for taking a big step forward from the club’s expansion season in 2012.
It now sits in second place only two points out of top spot, with games in hand on all their closest rivals.
This week, Dallas signed 22-year-old Argentine Mauro Diaz from Argentine club River Plate and he may see action in Montreal.