Toronto

Toronto FC, Montreal play first of three big games (Aug 27, 2017)

Published Aug. 26, 2017 2:48 p.m. ET

Toronto FC and the Montreal Impact face very different battles as the MLS regular season enters the home stretch.

But with three head-to-head matches coming down the stretch, beginning at Saputo Stadium in Montreal on Sunday, their respective fates could very much rely on one of the league's best rivalries.

Toronto is chasing the Supporters' Shield and the Impact are in a tooth-and-nail fight to get into the playoffs and either side would love to be responsible for their foe's failure to achieve their goals.

"It's a great rivalry and it's a good footballing team; they have great fans," said Toronto forward Jozy Altidore, who reached double-digits in goals on Wednesday night as Toronto thumped the Philadelphia Union 3-0 at BMO Field.

"But I would love it if they missed the playoffs at our expense."

The rivalry between the two cities that has carried over from hockey reached another level last season, with Toronto coming back from behind to eliminate the Impact in the Eastern Conference Final.

If it was at all possible, the next few weeks should only help to intensity that animosity.

Montreal has been surging to get itself back in the playoff picture with four-straight wins.

That run of form has moved Montreal up into the final Eastern Conference playoff spot but it's all still very close with 10 games remaining.

Three games against the current top team in the league makes Montreal's situation that much more difficult with TFC coming in unbeaten in eight games.

"It's going to be my first derby and I'm really looking forward to it," said the newly acquired midfielder Samuel Piette, who's come back home after playing a number of years in Spain. "I think it's going to be really intense. I'm really looking forward because I have some friends on the other side but also some enemies. They're friends and enemies at the same time so it will be a special game."

"They have some weaknesses like every team, so we would have to exploit that on Sunday."

Montreal comes in only missing Ambroise Oyongo (knee) while Toronto will miss midfielder Benoit Cheyrou (calf) and Nick Hagglund (knee).

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