The Montreal Impact were really up against it just a few days ago. Not only did they beat Toronto once, but they did so twice in a span of just four days to first steal a home game from their Canadian rivals, then knock them out of the playoffs. The pressure will continue this Sunday though, as the Impact have to host the Columbus Crew.
ODDS ANALYSIS
Especially in the East, we have no doubt that the two powerhouses are going to be the favorites to advance to the Conference Finals. However, Columbus isn't going to be a favorite in this match against the Impact, especially in the form the hosts are in after blowing out Toronto twice. Expect to see a relatively high total with the way these teams are playing offensively at the moment, though it should be noted that history will tell you the first legs in these home-and-home series are generally played pretty close to the vest.
KEY INJURIES
The Impact got out of their first playoff game without any further notable injuries, though there are still problems in the midfield for sure. Justin Mapp and Kyle Bekker were both noticeably absent from the Starting XI thanks to minor injuries, and that has poured all sorts of pressure on men like Nigel Rio-Coker to fill out a thin midfield. Bekker did come on late for the last 13 minutes, but we aren't sure he has any potential role as a starter on this club right now.
The Crew played their finale without both Kei Kamara and Federico Higuain due to yellow card accumulation, but both men will be back on the pitch with a relatively healthy team around them this Sunday.
QUOTE TO NOTE
"You have individual postseason experience, and then you have collective postseason experience. We had some individual last year, and now collectively, we're there as a group." – Crew manager Gregg Berhalter on getting over last year's disappointment in the playoffs, losing 7-3 to New England on aggregate
RECENT FORM
The Impact, as we mentioned, have been riding high of late. Their dominant 3-0 win against Toronto in the opening game of the playoffs was a thing of beauty, and that gives them four wins in a row and three clean sheets in four matches to boot.
The Black & Gold have been riding high too, though. The Crew have outscored their last two foes 7-0 to claim all six points, and that not only ensured them of playoff safety but gave them those few crucial days off as well to catch their breath.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
There are a lot of awesome strikers on the pitch in this one, as Kamara, Higuain and Didier Drogba are all capable of scoring and scoring a ton. That said, we think Columbus is going to try to make this a more tactical game to get back to Columbus either on level terms or just barely ahead.
The Crew learned from their forward-thinking mistakes last year, as they took the life out of their own sails when they lost 4-2 at home in the first leg of that home-and-home encounter with the Revolution. The defense has certainly been good, holding all but one foe since September 6 to one goal or fewer.
We do think that Drogba or the hero from Thursday's match, Patrice Bernier will hit the back of the net for the Impact, but they aren't going to be able to hold this game off. Columbus will have too much in the end, and that will put it on good terms going back to Ohio for next week's second leg.
Montreal 1, Columbus 1
The MLS lines for this contest will be first released by BookMaker Sportsbook. Since this game can be seen by anyone with a TV, BookMaker will have a multitude of wagering options available for it. Outside of the normal lines, you can gamble on real-time moneylines, spreads and total1s. Live betting is open during every step of this match!
Need to fund your account before the big game but don’t have your computer? No problem! BookMaker Sportsbook now offers a mobile betting cashier so you can deposit money directly from your smartphone. Don’t miss out on getting paid because you couldn’t bet. Click here and deposit at BookMaker now! The fixture between the Montreal Impact and the Columbus Crew is scheduled for Sunday, November 1, 2015 at Stade Saputo. The match will be televised live on FOX Sports 1.
