When: 7:30 p.m. Saturday Where: Allianz Field Stream: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV Radio: KSTP-AM, 1500 Weather: 26 degrees, clear skies, 2 mph east wind Betting line: MNUFC minus-200; draw plus-340; Montreal plus-475

Form: The Loons (0-1-0) fell 1-0 to LAFC in season opener last Saturday, while Montreal (0-1-0) lost 3-2 at Atlanta United.

Previous meetings: MNUFC is 3-1-0 against the Eastern Conference side, including a 4-0 loss in State Saputo in 2023; former Loon Mason Toye had a brace in that one. Montreal hasn’t come to Minnesota since United was renting TCF Bank Stadium in 2018. It was the Montreal Impact back then.

Absences: LWB Joseph Rosales (quad) is expected to be out at least 2-3 weeks; he subbed out at halftime of LAFC loss. FW Loic Mesanvi (ankle) was injured in practice this week, but was already rehabbing Friday. CB Kipp Keller and RWB DJ Taylor (both hamstring) were set to play in an MNUFC2 scrimmage Friday.

Projected XI: In a 5-3-2 formation, FW Kelvin Yeboah, FW Tani Oluwaseyi; MF Robin Lod, MF Hassani Dotson, MF Wil Trapp; LWB Anthony Markanich, CB Morris Duggan, CB Michael Boxall, CB Carlos Harvey, RWB Bongi Hlongwane; GK Dayne St. Clair.

Storyline: Montreal attacker Caden Clark plays his first game in Minnesota after the Wayzata native was traded away from his hometown club for the paltry sum of $50,000 in GAM last summer. Clark didn’t work out as a wingback with MNUFC, but in his natural position as an attacking midfielder for Montreal, he had four goals and four assists in 675 minutes to end 2024. He also received a callup to the U.S. men’s national team for its January camp.

Scouting report (Part 1): The projected left side of the Loons defense — Markanich and Duggan — have not played together in MLS, and Montreal is likely scheming ways to expose that lack of chemistry.

Scouting report (Part 2): Montreal presses man-for-man across the field and tries to open it up in attack, head coach Eric Ramsay said. He will want the Loons to be discipled and compact when they don’t have the ball and find ways to cut them open when they do.

Update: MLS game times are set by the league and Apple TV, with few opportunities for clubs to move kickoffs. Hence Saturday’s game kicks off in the evening.

Rumors: Rosales and Oluwaseyi are two of the Loons’ most-coveted players. Just this week, Rosales has been linked to an unnamed club in Italy’s Serie A, and Oluwaseyi has been tied to Real Salt Lake. When healthy, they are two starters and won’t be given away, especially to another Western Conference foe.

Prediction: The Loons won’t have to answer questions about dropping points at home to start this season, but they won’t be as tidy as they would like, either. MNUFC win 2-1.