Impact in familiar position: fightingfor playoff spot
With only six games remaining this season, Montreal Impact goalkeeper Evan Bush feels like he’s already in the playoffs.
Starting Saturday on the road against the Philadelphia Union (7:30 p.m., TVA Sports, TSN 690 Radio), the Impact play games solely against Eastern Conference teams as they look to clinch a post-season berth for the fourth time in seven years in Major League Soccer.
Montreal (11-14-3) is sixth in the Eastern Conference standings, four points behind Philly (12-11-4) and two points up on D.C. United (9-11-7). Six teams make the playoffs in each conference.
“We’re basically in the playoffs right now,” Bush said. “It’s obviously not single elimination, but every team that we’re playing moving forward is a team that’s right around us. So we can directly impact our situation with the games that we have in front of us and that’s an exciting feeling.”
There are four teams fighting for two playoff spots in the East.
New England is in eighth place with 33 points, D.C. United is seventh with 34, Montreal is sixth with 36 and Philadelphia is fifth with 40. The Impact play all three of those teams before the end of the season. New England, D.C. and Philadelphia all have a game in hand.
“Six games left,” said midfielder Ignacio Piatti, Montreal’s leading scorer this season.
“We have to focus on our game, starting with Saturday. It’s like six finals. We need to take points in Philadelphia. We’re just thinking about the playoffs. Six games where we have to be our best. This is what it all comes down to. And we’re ready for it.”
Fighting for their playoff lives in the season’s final games is nothing new for Montreal.
In 2013, the Impact snuck into the playoffs by the skin of their teeth — equal on points but a better goal differential than the Chicago Fire. In 2015, Montreal qualified thanks to a three-game winning streak to end the season. The following year, a similar three-game unbeaten run led the Impact to post-season play by a three-point margin.
The first hurdle for Montreal are the high-flying Union, unbeaten in their last five matches in MLS (4-0-1) with a defence at home that has been exemplary lately.
Philadelphia has recorded five clean sheets in its last six home matches in all competitions.
On the attack, the Union are extremely dangerous down the right flank through C.J. Sapong and Cory Burke. The pair has combined for 12 goals this season.