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MONTREAL - The Montreal Impact hope lessons learned from two lopsided losses will help prevent a season sweep at the hands of Sporting Kansas City. The Impact were shutout twice by Sporting KC earlier this year — 4-0 on the road on Apr. 19, and 3-0 at home on May 10. The two teams meet for the third and final time this season at Saputo Stadium on Saturday. Catch the game on TSN as part of an MLS doubleheader starting at 7:30pm et/4:30pm pt. "Those were tough to digest," said striker Marco Di Vaio, who did not play in the 3-0 loss due to a hamstring injury. "We know that, unless we double our efforts, well lose again. We have to improve, and we have the capacity to do so. We need a full team effort to beat this team." At Sporting Park in April, the Impact (3-8-5) gave up three second-half goals, including two to KC striker Dom Dwyer, for their biggest defeat of the season. In May, Montreal was reduced to 10 men after just 17 minutes when midfielder Collen Warner, who has since been traded to Toronto FC, was shown a red card for handling the ball with his arm in the penalty box. Dwyer converted the ensuing spot kick, and added another goal in the second half. After that game, Impact President Joey Saputo took to Twitter to promise fans that changes were forthcoming. True to his word, Saputo shuffled the roster. In the last two months, the Impact traded Warner for midfielder Issey Nakajima-Farran, acquired Mamadou Danso from the Portland Timbers, signed Spanish midfielder Gorka Larrea, sent Jeb Brovsky to expansion side New York City FC, released the injured Nelson Rivas, and added Polish left back Krzysztof Krol. Most recently, after confirming Hernan Bernardello was headed to Cruz Azul in Mexico, Montreal signed Argentine attacking midfielder Ignacio Piatti as a designated player. "We made some good moves and brought in some good quality players," said manager Frank Klopas. "Its taken some time for them to jell, but were a different team. We have to continue to show that on the field." While Danso, Krol and Piatti have yet to see action for the Impact, the positive results have started trickling in. Since that 3-0 home loss to Kansas City in May, Klopas men are 4-3-3 in all competitions, and went undefeated in their final three Amway Canadian Championship games en route to the Voyageurs Cup. "The team is much better now," said Di Vaio, who has yet to score against Sporting KC in six career matches. "Were working as a team, were more confident. We hadnt been working together. Now, were more team-oriented." "We changed our personnel, and we changed our attitude," added captain Patrice Bernier. "Its up to us to prove that our two first games against them, we were a different team, and we werent at our best. Were at home, and we have to remember the last time we played against them." Since returning from the two-week World Cup break, the Impact have strung together three solid performances. The team registered a scoreless draw against the Whitecaps in Vancouver before beating the Houston Dynamo 3-0 at home. Last week, despite a solid defensive showing, Montreal conceded four minutes into stoppage time for the 1-0 loss against Chivas USA to remain winless on the road this season. Prior to the goal, the Impact had gone 315 successive minutes without conceding, the third longest shutout streak in Major league Soccer this year. The stingy defending, however, hasnt been enough to heave the Impact off the bottom of the MLS standings, where they have been for most of the year. With just 14 points from 16 games, Montreal has the leagues worst record. "Paradoxically, considering the start of the season weve had, were not that far from a playoff spot," said defender Hassoun Camara, whose team is just six points off fifth place in the Eastern Conference. "It may not have been how we wanted to start the season, but now, even in losses like last weeks against Chivas, were really bringing it on the pitch. We have to overcome adversity." To keep second-place Kansas City (7-5-5) at bay, the Impact will have to contain Dwyer, something they couldnt do in the first two encounters this season. The 23-year-old leads the team with 12 goals and a league-high 63 shots. "Hes going to work hard, hes going to make good runs in the box, hes going to fight for everything, and hes going to close down," said Klopas. "Box defending has to be good, obviously. Hes a guy that you have to be aware of for 90 minutes, because the one moment you lose focus and concentration, he can hurt you. "He has a very god mentality right now and hes playing with a lot of confidence." Like the Impact, Kansas City has only conceded once in its last three MLS games. But clean sheets may be more difficult to come by for Sporting in the near future. The team will be without goalkeeper Eric Kronberg for eight weeks after he fractured a bone in his left hand during training on Wednesday. Kronberg, whos played all 17 games for Sporting KC this season, leads the league with seven clean sheets. Backup keeper Andy Gruenebaum will likely get the start against Montreal on Saturday. Notes: On Tuesday, Klopas announced the Impact were still interested in acquiring Canadian international Olivier Occean from Kaiserslautern in Germany. … Sporting have yet to lose when they score first (7-0-4). … Karl Ouimette will be suspended if he receives a yellow card on Saturday. … Centre back Matt Besler will likely make his first appearance for SKC since returning from the FIFA World Cup. … Kansas City has only lost once in its last six MLS matches. Eric Lichaj Jersey . Left back Armero opened the scoring in the fifth minute when his deflected shot rolled past Greece goalkeeper Orestis Karnezis. Striker Teofilo Gutierrez poked in Colombias second goal from a deflected corner in the 58th and James Rodriguez capped it off with a low shot in stoppage time after a slick backheel flick from Juan Cuadrado. John Brooks Jersey . You can watch the game live on TSN and TSN GO at 3pm et/Noon pt. The Thunder reclaimed the home-court advantage LA took with a Game 1 win on Friday night with a 118-112 road win in Game 3. http://www.usasoccerauthority.com/matt-besler-usa-jersey/ . -- Cam Newton pranced into the end zone, placed his hands over his chest and did his familiar Superman pose. Zack Steffen Jersey . Klein went undrafted in the NFL last year following his senior season with the Wildcats. He was invited to the Houston Texans rookie camp, but was not offered a contract. David Bingham Jersey . -- The Detroit Lions made it crystal clear to Golden Tate that he was their top target in free agency.SAN ANTONIO - At 38, Tim Duncan admits a few more days rest might be better for him rather than playing in the All-Star Game.But there is no way he would pass up the chance to razz a former teammate.The San Antonio Spurs forward will make the 15th All-Star appearance of his 18-year career after being selected as a reserve for the Western Conference. The Feb. 15 game is at Madison Square Garden in New York, which was the site of Duncans inaugural All-Star appearance in 1998.Its an honour to be there, Im happy to go, Duncan said. Would I have loved a couple of days off? Maybe, but it is what it is. It will be fun. My kids will love the experience and they will enjoy it.Perhaps not as much as Duncan, though.Duncan is stoic on the floor and in dealing with the media, but he is extremely mischievous behind the scenes. He loves playing practical jokes on teammates and teasing them, comparing his wicked sense of humour to that of Will Hunting in Good Will Hunting.Get ready for that, Steve Kerr. Kerr is coaching the West after leading Golden State to the leagues best record in his first season with the Warriors. Kerr and Duncan were teammates in San Antonio for four seasons, winning NBA championships in 1999 and 2003.Thats the best part, Duncan said, smiling. Im just going to give him all kinds of (ribbing) the entire time, just make his life hell the entire game, in every huddle, in every play. Im going to work him the whole time.If dealing with Duncans shenanigans isnt enough for Kerr, there is also the ominous threat of displeasing his mentor, San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich.Popovich was asked if he requested Kerr limit Duncans minutes.If he plays him at all, Im never speaking to himm again, Popovich said with a chuckle.ddddddddddddThe caution is understandable. The Spurs have struggled to find the consistency they showed last June in steamrolling the Miami Heat in five games to win their fifth NBA title. They have been plagued by injuries to key players including Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili and Kawhi Leonard. The one player to escape injury thus far is also its oldest.Ive been blessed, Ive been healthy, Duncan said. The last couple of years Ive made it through an entire season healthy. My role has changed over the years. Im just trying to be a positive on the floor thats all I want to be and be consistent at what I have to do for the team as possible.Duncan is averaging 14.7 points and 10.1 rebounds and has 22 double-doubles in 42 games. He is also averaging 30.3 minutes, third most on the team.Hes having a good year, Popovich said. Weve been a little up and down, but hes been really steady. Hes carried us to this point with his consistency, which is whats really impressive. Im really thankful to the coaches for seeing that and putting him on (the All-Star team).After Thursdays games, San Antonio was just 2 1/2 games behind the Portland Trail Blazers for third place in the West. The Spurs have won three straight and eight of 11 and have three straight home games before their annual nearly monthlong rodeo road trip.Its a good stretch, a really good stretch, Duncan said. Kind of needed right now. Weve had kind of grind this first half of the season. I know a lot of the guys are looking forward to it, but were not there yet and were not looking forward to that just yet. Weve got these games to finish out before the break and well do just that. 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