Archive for Montreal Impact
NASL Update 08.02.10
BALTIMORE, MD
The Montreal Impact (6-8-6) and the Baltimore Crystal Palace (5-9-5) played to a 1-1 tie (halftime 0-0), Saturday, at Maryland SoccerPlex, near Baltimore.
With only 10 players on the field, due to the ejection of Simon Gatti following his second yellow card of the match, midfielder Tony Donatelli opened the scoring on a penalty kick in the 63rd minute of play. Donatelli beat goalkeeper Evan Bush with a precise shot to score his 6th goal of the season. He is now in fourth place in league scoring with 15 points.
CARY, NC
In the second game of a five-match road spell, Vancouver Whitecaps FC (8W-3L-10D) were held to a 2-2 draw at NASL Conference rivals Carolina RailHawks (6W-4L-7D) in the USSF D-2 Pro League on Saturday evening.
In what was a pulsating clash between the top two clubs in the NASL Conference, the Whitecaps stormed out to an early two-goal lead at WakeMed Soccer Park. Martin Nash scored from the penalty spot before Philippe Davies doubled Vancouver’s advantage in Cary, North Carolina. However, the RailHawks fought their way back into the match and earned a point with first-half goals by captain Mark Schulte and midfielder Josh Gardner.
NCC 2010: Toronto FC Clinches Voyageurs Cup
MONTREAL,QC — Vancouver Whitecaps FC saw its CONCACAF Champions League hopes slip away in a 1:1 draw with Impact Montréal. After going up a goal in the 50th minute, Vancouver conceded a goal 12 minutes later and was unable to retake the lead and claim the required three points.
Earning just a single point on Match Day Five of the 2010 Nutrilite Canadian Championship, the Whitecaps were officially eliminated on Wednesday 26 May. Toronto FC, who will host the championship finale next Wednesday 2 June at BMO Field, has clinched the 2010 Voyageurs Cup and a spot in 2010-11 CONCACAF Champions League.
Vancouver’s Ansu Touré scored what could have been the game winning goal in the 50th minute. A redirected ball from Nelson Akwari found its way to Touré who buried it for a 1-0 Vancouver lead.
In the 62nd minute, however, Eddy Sebrango crossed the ball to Philippe Billy who fired a bullet past goalkeeper Jay Nolly and into the Whitecaps goal. It was a 1-1 with less than 30 minutes to go.
The Impact actually had some good possession after the score was even, albeit Vancouver did find a way to fight back and push towards the Montréal goal. In the end, the Whitecaps just couldn’t score the go-ahead goal needed for a victory and a three-point night in the standings.
On this night, Montréal’s starting XI featured Srdjan Djekanovic in goal, Adam Braz at right back, Hicham Aaboubou and Stefano Pesoli at centre back, Philippe Billy at left back, Tyler Hemming at right midfield, Felipe Soares and Tony Donatelli at centre midfield, Leonardo Di Lorenzo at left midfield, and Rocco Placentino and Eddy Sebrango up front. In the second half, Montréal’s three changes were Soares for Stephen DeRoux (46th minute), Hemming for Peter Byers (57’) and Donatelli for Patrick Leduc (75’).
Vancouver’s starting XI featured Jay Nolly in goal, Wes Knight at right back, Nelson Akwari and Greg Janicki at centre back, Zurab Tsiskaridze at left back, Justin Moose at right midfield, Luca Bellisomo and Martin Nash at centre midfield, Ansu Touré at left midfield, and Marcus Haber and Cornelius Stewart up front. In the second half, Vancouver’s three changes were Moose for Doudou Touré (64’), Ansu Touré for Takashi Hirano (68’), and Knight for Ricardo Sanchez (76’).
Next Wednesday 2 June, Vancouver will travel to BMO Field to face Toronto FC on Match Day Six, the final match of the 2010 Nutrilite Canadian Championship. Toronto FC has already clinched the championship, but the match will give the home side a chance to celebrate with the trophy in front of its home fans. This will mark the first time that the trophy is presented to the home team since the Nutrilite Canadian Championship was first introduced in 2008.
Game Reports
Montreal Impact
Vancouver Whitecaps
De Rosario Ends Impact’s NCC Hopes
MONTREAL, QC — Dwayne De Rosario’s second-half strike put Toronto in the driver’s seat of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship with a 1-0 road win over the Montreal Impact at Saputo Stadium on Wednesday.
For the MLS-bound Impact, the loss ended their bid to win this year’s edition of the three-team tournament, which also serves as a qualifier for the CONCACAF Champions League club competition.
The Impact were without three key players on Wednesday due to suspension as forwards Roberto Brown and Reda Agourram, as well as defender Adam Braz, all missed the match after receiving red cards in the opening two matches of the tournament.
Their absences contributed to both coaches’ tactical strategy before the opening whistle as Montreal boss Marc Dos Santos elected to start the match with six midfielders in a 3-6-1 formation, with lone striker Peter Byers going it on his own up front. Toronto head coach Preki countered with a 3-5-2 formation.
Tight marking and some hard tackling set the tone in the opening half with neither team generating much in the way of attack.
MONTREAL GAME SUMMARY
The Montreal Impact (0-2-1) lost 1-0 against Toronto FC (2-0-0), Wednesday at Saputo Stadium, in its third match of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship. “It’s not necessarily the best team that won. It was pretty levelled on the field,” noted Impact head coach Marc Dos Santos. “We played wisely from a tactical standpoint. We were organized and we put good pressure, but in the end it’s the lack of finishing that took over us. Winning the Canadian championship was one of our objectives in 2010 but it is over. We will now focus on our season.”
“They are a good team. They pressed hard so it was tough to play our game,” declared team captain Nevio Pizzolitto. “Our lack of quality in front of the net ultimately made the difference. Throughout the competition, the circumstances were not always favourable. However I think we competed well in the tournament and we should keep our head up high.”
Toronto FC scored the lone goal at the 73rd minute. After weaving himself through the Impact defense, forward Chad Barrett took a low shot from inside the 18-yard box that goalkeeper Matt Jordan stopped with his right hand while diving, but forward Dwayne De Rosario took the rebound near the goal line and scored in an open net.
