Philadelphia Union vs. Montreal Impact | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Philadelphia Union vs. Montreal Impact
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 29
Talen Energy Stadium — Chester
Sept. 15 — 7:30 pm ET
WATCH: TVAS, ESPN+

It’s a huge six-pointer in the Eastern Conference playoff race when the Philadelphia Union host the Montreal Impact Saturday night at Talen Energy Stadium.

Fifth place in the East, the Union have four wins in a five-match unbeaten run following a 2-2 draw at Orlando on Sept. 1, while the sixth-place Impact have only lost one of their last five games and come in off a 3-0 home win over the New York Red Bulls on Sept. 1.

This is the second meeting this season with the Union claiming a 2-0 win at Stade Saputo on May 12. Cory Burke scored two minutes before halftime and Haris Medunjanin added a late insurance goal against the 10-man Impact, who saw Daniel Lovitz sent off in the 67th minute for DOGSO following Video Review.

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Philadelphia Union

Philadelphia (12-11-4) were moments from a fifth straight victory, but were forced to settle for a 2-2 draw at Orlando on Sept. 1.

After Dom Dwyer put the hosts in front, Burke leveled in the 32nd minute and Fafa Picault put the Union in front two minutes from full time before Scott Sutter scored the stoppage-time equalizer.

“We control our own destiny, which is a good thing,” Jim Curtin said. “But we obviously have a little bit of a break now. A perfect time to recharge some of the batteries, get some guys some treatment for injuries, take a look at some young players this week, some academy kids that are in and impressing, so overall a good time to refresh, recharge, and go into now what will be a big September for the club.”

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: None
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: D - Matt Real (left knee sprain), M - Ilsinho (quad strain); QUESTIONABLE: M - Anthony Fontana (right hamstring strain), M - Borek Dockal (ankle sprain)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Andre Blake — Keegan Rosenberry, Jack Elliott, Auston Trusty, Raymon Gaddis — Haris Medunjanin, Derrick Jones — CJ Sapong, Alejandro Bedoya, Fafa Picault - Cory Burke

Montreal Impact

Montreal (11-14-3) made it two wins in three games with a decisive 3-0 victory over the Supporters' Shield-leading New York Red Bulls at Stade Saputo on Sept. 1.

Rod Fanni opened the scoring with his first MLS goal on the half-hour mark, followed eight minutes later by Bacary Sagna’s first league tally. Ignacio Piatti closed out the scoring in second-half stoppage time.

"The remaining six games will look like this one, that is, with a need to get a good result," head coach Remi Garde said. “We must put the same ingredients and the same parameters that allowed us to beat one of the best teams on the circuit, who came to Montreal with great confidence.”

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: None
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: M - David Choiniere (ankle surgery), D - Kyle Fisher (quad injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-3-3, right to left)
GK: Evan Bush — Bacary Sagna, Rod Fanni, Jukka Raitala, Daniel Lovitz — Micheal Azira, Samuel Piette, Saphir Taider — Alejandro Silva, Quincy Amarikwa, Ignacio Piatti

All-Time Series

• Overall: Philadelphia Union 4 wins, 21 goals … Montreal Impact 7 wins, 30 goals … 6 draws
• At Philadelphia: Union 2 wins, 11 goals … Impact 1 win, 12 goals … 5 draws
• Last meeting at Philadelphia: Philadelphia Union 0, Montreal Impact 3 (Aug. 12, 2017)

Officials

Referee: Armando Villarreal
Assistant Referees: Adam Wienckowski, Kevin Klinger
4th Official: JC Rivero
VAR: Ricardo Salazar

Colorado Rapids vs. Atlanta United | 2018 MLS Match Preview

Colorado Rapids vs. Atlanta United
2018 MLS Regular Season — Week 29
Dick’s Sporting Goods Park — Commerce City
Sept. 15 — 3:30 pm ET
WATCH: Univision, Twitter, MLS LIVE on DAZN (Canada)

They’re just one of two teams to have clinched a playoff spot, but Atlanta United have their eyes set on the Supporters' Shield and can move back atop the race with a win against a Colorado Rapids squad that has lost three straight games.

The Five Stripes are coming off a 3-1 loss to D.C. United on Sept. 2, while the Rapids fell to the Portland Timbers, 2-0, at Providence Park last Saturday.

This is just the second all-time meeting, with Atlanta United winning 1-0 last June at Bobby Dodd Stadium with Josef Martinez scoring the lone goal in the 67th minute.

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Colorado Rapids

Colorado (6-15-6) suffered a third straight shutout defeat, falling at Portland, 2-0, on Saturday.

Jeremy Ebobisse struck just before halftime to put the hosts ahead and Diego Valeri tacked on the insurance goal 20 minutes into the second half. Both goals were assisted by Sebastian Blanco.

“On Saturday, I think it was a performance worthy of something out of the game. For large parts of it we played some really good soccer,” Anthony Hudson said. “We just want to keep getting better. The mood’s very good. The lads believe, we’ve got a good group.”

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: M - Johan Blomberg
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: D - Axel Sjoberg (knee injury), F - Niki Jackson (ankle injury); QUESTIONABLE: M - Sam Nicholson (back injury), F - Yannick Boli (hamstring injury)

Projected Starting XI
(4-4-2 diamond, right to left)
GK: Tim Howard — Kortne Ford, Danny Wilson, Tommy Smith, Edgar Castillo — Kellyn Acosta, Jack Price, Nana Boateng, Dillon Serna — Jack McBean, Giles Barnes

Atlanta United

Atlanta (16-5-6) had a seven-match unbeaten streak snapped with a 3-1 loss at D.C. United on September 2.

Ten minutes after Luciano Acosta opened the scoring, Jeff Larentowicz leveled for the Five Stripes in the 30th minute. But Wayne Rooney converted from the penalty spot before Acosta added his second in the 77th minute to lift the hosts.

“I think we played well in the first half. I thought the tie was deserved at that point and there could have been even another goal difference,” Tata Martino said. “But then in the second half I think the penalty changed things. We lost a little bit of confidence, we got down on ourselves. Then we got a little disorganized and didn’t have as much control of the game.”

• Suspended: None
• Suspended after next caution: D - Chris McCann, D - Michael Parkhurst
• International duty: None
• Injury Report: OUT: D - Greg Garza (shoulder surgery), M - Darlington Nagbe (right adductor injury), D - Sal Zizzo (right knee injury), D - Mikey Ambrose (right knee surgery), F - Brandon Vazquez (left foot injury), D - Franco Escobar (right leg injury), M - Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu (back spasms)

Projected Starting XI
(4-2-3-1, right to left)
GK: Brad Guzan — Julian Gressel, Michael Parkhurst, Leandro Gonzalez-Pirez, Chris McCann — Jeff Larentowicz, Eric Remedi — Hector Villalba, Miguel Almiron, Ezequiel Barco — Josef Martinez

All-Time Series

• There is just one all-time meeting, with Atlanta United winning, 1-0, at Bobby Dodd Stadium on June 24, 2017

Officials

Referee: Sorin Stoica
Assistant Referees: Kyle Atkins, TJ Zablocki
4th Official: Baldomero Toledo
VAR: Younes Marrakchi

Lokomotiv Moscow vs Dynamo Moscow Predictions and Match Preview

Lokomotiv Moscow vs Dynamo Moscow
Russia – Premier League
Date: Friday, 14 September 2018
Kick-Off at 17:30 UK / 18:30 CET
Venue: RZD Arena, Moscow.

The reigning champions began the title defense quest in a somewhat slower fashion. They sit eighth in the league standings after six rounds of the competition and are already eight points behind leaders Zenit.

Can Yury Semin’s troops get the campaign up and running and boost up their confidence before the Champions League start on Friday when they take on local rivals Dynamo in a Moscow derby?

The visitors will come into the game higher on confidence following a 2-0 victory over Orenburg before the international break.

Evgeni Markov and Evgeniy Lutsenko notched goals for Belo-Golubye two weeks ago, helping the team overtake Lokomotiv in the league standings (they sit seventh with nine points from six games so far).

Lokomotiv Moscow vs Dynamo Moscow: Head-to-head

The momentum might give Dynamo advantage, but the H2H trend completely fancies the hosts here.

Parovozy bagged seven goals without response in two meetings with Dynamo in the previous term of Premier League.

Lokomotiv are unbeaten in last eight matches against Belo-Golubye.

The hosts bagged two or more goals in five of last six head to head affairs with Dynamo.

Lokomotiv Moscow vs Dynamo Moscow: Prediction

Dmitri Khokhlov has reasons to be optimistic ahead of the Moscow derby based on the stern defensive display his men showed against a very solid Orenburg side in the previous round.

The visitors were also quite tough to break down on travels so far in the season shipping just three goals in three games so far (two of these came away at Spartak Moscow on previous travel).

Knowing that Lokomotiv bagged the total of four games in six games so far in the season, we would not be shocked to see the visitors keeping it tight at the back here.

The Under 2.5 goals FT is the safest of betting options and it can be backed at the 1/2 (1.50) odds, while braver tipsters can shoot for Dynamo Moscow to keep a clean sheet at 3.50.

Lokomotiv Moscow vs Dynamo Moscow: Bet Tips

Under 2.5 goals FT @ 1/2 (1.50)

Dynamo Moscow to keep a clean sheet @ (5/2) 3.50.

Utah Royals FC end season with a win against the Chicago Red Stars

With the playoff spots all decided, the Royals had nothing to play for except pride.

Utah Royals FC

2 1

Chicago Red Stars

UTAH ROYALS FC: BARNHART: BOWEN, CORSIE, SAUERBRUNN, MOROS; SCOTT, JÓNSDÓTTIR; PRESS (TYMRAK, MIN. 85), STENGEL, O'HARA (LYTLE, MIN. 46); RODRIGUEZ (LABONTA, MIN. 79).

CHICAGO RED STARS: NAEHER; ELBY (BRIAN, MIN. 67), NAUGHTON, GORDEN, GILLILAND; STANTON (COLAPRICO, MIN. 75), WHITE (GREEN, MIN. 75), VASCONCELOS; YUGISATO, KERR, MAUTZ.

SCORE: 0-1, MIN. 39, KERR. 1-1, MIN. 55, RODRIGUEZ. 2-1, MIN. 64, STENGEL.

REFEREE: ROSENDO MENDOZA (USA). YELLOW CARD: GILLILAND (MIN. 17), STANTON (MIN. 25).

The National Women's Soccer League regular season ended this past weekend for Utah Royals FC and the Chicago Red Stars. Utah ended their inaugural season just missing out on the playoffs while the Red Stars have a playoff date with the North Carolina Courage coming up soon.

Chicago take control of the firts half

The Red Stars rested many of their starters but Sam Kerr was inserted into the starting lineup by head coach Rory Dames as the Australian bid to become the Golden Boot winner for this season. It worked as in the 39th minute, Arin Gilliland got forward and found Kerr with a great cross into the box and the striker nodded home her 16th goal of the season.

Sam Kerr celebrates her 16th goal of the season | Source: nwslsoccer.com

Utah tried to get something going in their attack but could not put together enough passes to trouble a makeshift Chicago backline. Even with the likes of Kelley O'Hara, Christen Press, Amy Rodriguez and Katie Stengel all on the field, Utah barely troubled Chicago's goalkeeper, Alyssa Naeher.

Utah dig deep and snap Chicago's streak

The second half was a completely different story. With Taylor Lytle coming in for O'Hara, the Royals changed their tactics and it paid off. Rachel Corsie was the first to test the Red Stars backline but her effort went over the net. That was a sign of things to come however as Utah pushed to end their season on the right note.

Katie Stengel puts Utah in front and ultimately wins the game | Source: Spenser Heaps-KSL.com

A good bit of play led to Katie Bowen picking out an unmarked Rodriguez inside the 18-yard area and the Royals forward watched her volley hit the post before bouncing inside the goal. Katie Stengel then scored the game-winning goal in the 64th minute, ending Chicago's seven game unbeaten streak. Lytle picked out the target forward with a cross towards the far post and Stengel headed the ball past Naeher's diving effort. Both teams continued to test the goalkeepers here and there but Stengel's goal proved decisive as Utah finished their season with a win in front of a strong crowd showing.