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Impact set to face 'Quakes in interconference tilt

Sep 19, 2014 - 10:59 PM Montreal, QC (SportsNetwork.com) - The Montreal Impact will hope to snap a three-match winless run in league play on Saturday when the club hosts the San Jose Earthquakes in an interconference battle at Stade Saputo.

Coming into the clash, Montreal remains rooted to the bottom of the Eastern Conference, but will look to generate some positive momentum against a struggling San Jose side.

Last time out, the Impact suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium.

Calum Mallace opened the scoring for Montreal in the 13th minute following an assist from Jack McInerney, but New England found an equalizer in the 23rd minute as Montreal goalkeeper Troy Perkins should have done better when Kelyn Rowe's dipping effort from 25 yards managed to elude him and find its way into the back of the net, leveling the match at 1-1.

Two minutes later, the Revs snatched the lead when Jermaine Jones chipped a ball to Charlie Davies, allowing him to flick it into the penalty area for Nguyen to finish off the play with a composed chip.

"It's nice to get that first goal," said Mallace. "I've been here for a while now and have played some significant minutes this year, so it was nice to get that first one. The team showed a lot of heart and determination. We had some young guys out there and we went into the game with the attitude to give it all we had."

San Jose, meanwhile, is in desperate need of three points, entering the match riding an eight-match winless run in league play following a 1-1 draw against Los Angeles last time out.

The visiting Galaxy snagged the lead in the 28th minute when Omar Gonzalez rose highest on a Stefan Ishizaki corner kick and nodded it past 'Quakes goalkeeper Jon Busch for his fourth tally of the season.

Bust San Jose drew level at Buck Shaw Stadium in the 66th minute when U.S. international Chris Wondolowski got on the end of an errant strike from Jordan Stewart on the right side of the penalty area and scooped it past Galaxy goalkeeper Brian Rowe with ease.

The goal allowed Wondolowski to continue his stellar form since returning from the World Cup as he has netted eight goals and added four assists since returning from Brazil.

"Every week he pops up in the score sheet, again and again. Remarkable," 'Quakes general manager John Doyle said of Wondolowski. "We haven't had a ton of chances, but his conversion rate has been good the past six to eight weeks."

The Quakes will hope "Wondo" can find the net again on Saturday if they want to keep themselves alive in the race for the postseason.

This will be the only meeting of the season between the sides, while battled to a 2-2 draw at Buck Shaw back on May 4, 2013.