DC United vs Montreal Impact- Preview

Its a time for the American Football festival to roll on as the 20th Season of Major League Soccer kicks off at RKF. DC United starts its season at 01:30 IST against the Montreal Impact. It is a match-up that pits the top and bottom teams from the Eastern Conference in 2014. Both teams 2015  campaign is already underway as the United crashed out of CONCACAF Champions League against Alajuelense while the Impact moved on in CCL by ousting Pachuca in dramatic fashion.

DC United and Montreal Impact are assembling to commence the MSL season. Both team have played competitive matches this year with vastly different results.

DC United was the first MLS powerhouse achieving 3 cups of the first four MLS Cups. Though the club has seen its share of ups and downs over the years, a strong season last year showed a wonderful worst to first campaign with the Easter  conference regular season title and 59 points, before seeing that their seasons end at quarterfinals at the hands of their arch rivals from New York . Ben Olsen is back for is 5th full season is charge after having won league coach of the years honors last year.

"This is about the first leg. It's the second time we've done it and we need to learn that lesson that in this competition format, such as the MLS playoffs, you have to show up both legs and go about it in a dire way. We didn't do that."  United head coach Ben Olsen

"It's two first legs in the past six months that we've started out this way, started out in a bad way and then we're scrambling in the second leg. I thought we had them on the run here and then they got that the deflected goal. It's unfortunate but we simply can't put our selves down three goals going into these return legs." Said United midfielder Chris Pontius

For the Impact, 2015 isn't just about rebounding from a disastrous 2014 campaign in which they finished last, it's also about finding a foothold in a difficult sporting landscape. From the MLS 2012 Impact has gone from having the 3rd best average attendance in the league to just 11th best in 2014 and the Impact enduring the worst season last year in MLS.

The Montreal Impact begin their fourth MLS campaign looking to regain the glory of two years ago when they claimed a spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs in just their second season in the league. Frank Klopas is back for a second season in charge of the club, after seeing his group finish in last place in the Eastern Conference a year ago with 28 points.

Expected 11:

DC United:-

Bill Hamid
Bobby Boswell
Steve Birnbaum
Chris Korb
Sean Franklin
Davy Amaud
Perry Kitchen
Nick Deleon
Chris Pontius
Conor Doyle
Jairo Arrieta

Montreal Impact:-

Evan Bush
Laurent Ciman
Hassoun Camara
Maxim Tissot
Donny Toia
Marco Donadel
Dilly Duka
Patrice Bernier
Nigel Reo-Coker
Jack Mclnemey
Dominic Oduro

 

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