Sluggish Orlando City looks to end slide vs. Impact (Aug 05, 2017)

By AP
Published

Dom Dwyer and Orlando City visit the Montreal Impact on Saturday for an Eastern Conference battle between two teams in need of late-season surges at Stade Saputo.

The visiting Lions got off to a strong start to the season before fading in July, sustaining a pair of defeats and settling for a disappointing 1-1 draw due to a stoppage-time goal at Atlanta on July 29.

In an effort to turn things around, Orlando City acquired Dwyer from Sporting Kansas City on July 25. Dwyer, one of the top goal-scorers in MLS over the last two seasons, made his Lions debut against Atlanta and scored a goal in the MLS All-Star Game.

Orlando City now hopes Dwyer can ignite a playoff run. The Lions enter the weekend in seventh place on the Eastern Conference table, just two points behind Columbus.

"We're in a little bit of a slump, but we can get out of it easily," defender Danny Toia told the team's website. "We're right there, we just have to finish out games and get wins, get three points."

Montreal also is looking for a spark, after an up-and-down stretch that has left the Impact in 10th place in the Eastern Conference. Montreal looked deflated in late stages of a 4-0 loss to the New York Red Bulls last week, the Impact's second straight defeat.

Montreal has been hampered by injuries this season. Most notably, star midfielder Ignacio Piatti has started in only 13 of the Impact's 20 matches. Piatti scored twice in a 3-3 draw with Orlando City on June 17.

Piatti is expected to be in Saturday's starting lineup, but Montreal also took steps to solidify its midfield this week with the acquisition of Canadian international midfielder Samuel Piette.

"We are very excited to add Samuel to our club," Impact technical director Adam Braz told the team's website. "He's a local player who showed a lot of interest in joining our club and continuing his career at home in Montreal. He's a young defensive midfielder with a profile and playing style that we like. He has a strong work ethic and a strong desire to help the team.

"Defensively, he is an aggressive, ball-winning midfielder who is strong and physical. Offensively, he is simple and effective with his passing and keeps the team in possession."