Chad Ashton hopes Paul Arriola can return to make a telling contribution for DC United on Decision Day this Sunday.
DC are 13th in the East prior to their final regular season game of 2020 but can still make the playoffs if they beat ninth-placed Montreal Impact and two of Chicago Fire, Atlanta United and Inter Miami slip up.
United are boosted by Arriola's involvement, the winger having been passed fit to play some part.
The United States international scored six times last season and seven times the year before but is yet to play in 2020 due to a torn ACL in preseason in February.
Interim coach Ashton is optimistic Arriola will now be ready to hit the ground running.
"He has looked excellent in training," Ashton said.
"We'll see how the game goes, but we fully expect him to play a role in the game and go out there and be a major factor in terms of the result of the game."
There is no lack of motivation for either DC or Montreal given the stakes of Sunday's match.
United won three games in a row to keep their hopes alive, only to lose to New England Revolution last week, while the Impact have been beaten in their past trio of matches.
Thierry Henry was frustrated not to get the job done before now but is relieved to still have the opportunity to make the postseason.
"Fortunately for us, we still can close the deal," he said. "It's going to have to be away from home.
"Every game we are away from home anyway, but this is really away from home. We have to try to do it against DC."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
DC United - Paul Arriola
DC looked to be building an exciting attacking team at the start of the year, with Julian Gressel, Edison Flores, Yamil Asad and Arriola all able to supply Ola Kamara. That has not panned out at all, but the fit-again winger might belatedly be able to get the team firing this week.
Montreal Impact - Jukka Raitala
The Impact's captain is out of contract at the end of the season and might be appearing for the last time on Sunday. Having been called up by Finland, his involvement in the playoffs is far from certain. Raitala will be determined to get his team-mates there, though.
KEY OPTA FACTS
- Including playoffs, the all-time record between DC United and Montreal is split, with seven wins apiece and seven draws in the 21 games. Montreal's 1-0 win over United at the MLS is Back Tournament in July ended a four-match unbeaten run for DC in the series (W2 D2).
- DC's 4-3 defeat to New England Revolution on Sunday ended a three-match winning streak but not their red-hot scoring form in front of goal. United have scored 12 goals in their past seven games, finding the net at least once in all of them, after managing just 11 goals in their first 15 league matches, failing to score seven times.
- The Impact have lost three straight matches and five of their past six. Four of the five defeats in that time have come by one-goal margins, including losing 1-0 in each of their previous two games.
- Edison Flores recorded a primary assist for two of DC's three goals against the Revs on Sunday, his first two primary assists of the season. Flores is now level with Julian Gressel and Yamil Asad with a team-high two assists this season.
- The Impact have scored in a club-record 19 straight away matches dating back to April 2019. A goal at DC on the final day would make them the second team in MLS history to score in 20 straight away regular season matches, joining United who did so in 25 straight games from 1997 to 1999.
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