Preview: Orlando City travels to Montreal for Saturday match
ORLANDO, Fla. (FOX 35 ORLANDO) - Orlando City SC (4-7-3, 15 points) heads back out on the road once more to face the Montreal Impact (7-6-3, 24 points) on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 5:00 p.m. ET at Stade Saputo.
The match will be locally televised on My65 and available on YouTube TV. It will also be broadcast on FM 96.9 The Game in English and La Nueva 990am in Spanish.
“They’re very, very organized when you look at Montreal,” Head Coach James O’Connor said. “They have players who can create and score goals, they’ve got tremendous work ethic. I think defensively when you look at their players there’s a strong appetite to defend and then to be able to go and cause problems. They’re a very organized team, having a good year, so for us it’s being intentional about understanding their principles and making sure we create some problems for them when we have the ball.”
City comes into the match after a 1-0 loss to the LA Galaxy this past Friday. Jonathan dos Santos scored the eventual game-winner for the visiting Galaxy in the 19th minute, as the Lions were shut out at home for just the second time this season.
Nani remains the leading goal-scorer for the Lions with seven goals in 2019, tied for fourth in MLS with four other players. He also leads the squad with four assists.
Montreal enters Saturday’s contest following a 2-1 victory at home over Real Salt Lake on Wednesday. Omar Browne opened the scoring in first half stoppage time for the Impact, with Saphir Taïder doubling the lead in the 68th off of a penalty kick. Sam Johnson cut the deficit in half for RSL in the 84th minute, but the home side held on to secure the victory.
Taïder leads the Impact with five goals in 2019, followed by Ignacio Piatti with three. Maximiliano Urruti currently leads the team in assists with five this season.
Saturday’s contest will be the second between the two sides this season, with the Lions looking to avenge a 3-1 loss at Orlando City Stadium on March 16. Following the match, they will have over three weeks off from league play due to the CONCACAF Gold Cup break.
The Lions will face Memphis 901 FC during their break from MLS play in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Fourth Round on Wednesday, June 12. Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. ET.