Real Salt Lake vs Montreal Impact
August 11, 2018; Rio Tinto Stadium
8:00 p.m. MT; KMYU, KSL.com, KSL app
RSL (10-9-4, 34 points); MON (9-13-2, 29 points)
Player to Watch – Ignacio Piatti has been the gold standard on the wings for Montreal since coming to MLS from San Lorenzo in his native Argentina in 2014. With 58 goals and 30 assists in 114 MLS matches, he is as consistent a threat as there is, earning MLS Best XI honors in 2016 when he had 17 goals and six assists. He followed that up with identical numbers in 2017 and this year has 11 goals and nine assists, showing there are no signs of slowing down for the 33-year-old.
Matchup to Watch – RSL forwards vs. Evan Bush. The Montreal goalkeeper has the most saves in MLS this season while the defense has allowed the fifth-most shots in MLS this season. In allowing 41 percent of its opponent’s shots on target, the Impact has the second-highest opponent accuracy rate in MLS. All those set up for RSL, who put 10 out of 15 shots on frame last week in a 2-1 win against Chicago, to have an opportunity to put some goals on the board this week. Montreal has been outscored 22-10 on the road, allowing 1.83 goals against per game away from home. Meanwhile, RSL has outscored its opponents 24-10 during its current 11-game home unbeaten streak, posting the second-best home record in MLS at 9-1-2 overall.
All-Time Record – RSL is 2-3-1 against Montreal since the Impact’s inaugural MLS season in 2012. That includes a 2-0-1 record at Rio Tinto Stadium. Outside of a 1-0 win in the first meeting in 2012, the games have been relatively high-scoring affairs, averaging 3.5 goals per game between the two teams.
Last 5 Head-to-Head – RSL is 1-3-1 in the last five meetings between the two clubs, with all three losses coming at Saputo Stadium.
Last 5 Overall – Montreal is just 1-2-2 in the last five matches, coming off of a four-game winning streak in the previous four matches. Twice this season, the Impact has been embroiled in four-match losing streaks, too, from April 6-28 and May 9-26.
