After four games, all played on the road, the Impact is now playing for .500, with a record of two wins and two losses.
In its last game, last Friday, the Impact shut out the Puerto Rico Islanders 1-0, despite playing with a man down for the last 50 minutes of the game, after forward Roberto Brown’s ejection. Joey Gjertsen scored the game-winning goal in the 83rd minute, while goalkeeper Matt Jordan registered his first shutout of the season, after blocking a penalty in the first half.
“We will try to build momentum on this last win in Puerto Rico,” said Gjertsen, who was named to the USL First Division Team of the Week. “It’s our defense that won the game. Once again, we will try to do our best and use the whole field to get another win.”
“We got a tough win in Puerto Rico and we have to put into our heads that it will not be easy once again in Minnesota,” said veteran midfielder Patrick Leduc, who played all 90 minutes in the first four games of the season. “The field in Minnesota is small and it caused us problems last season. We will have to work hard and play as a unit to beat the Thunder, which has had a relatively good start.”
Last season, the Impact did not win a game in three match-ups against the Thunder. The two teams had tied 1-1, June 5, in Montreal. Then, in a double header in Minnesota, the Impact lost 3-0, July 15, before tying 1-1, July 18. Montreal has a lifetime record of four wins, two losses and three ties in nine games against Minnesota (17 GF - 8 GA).
Impact forward Roberto Brown received a three-game suspension following his ejection during last game and will automatically miss the next three games, including the home opener at Saputo Stadium, May 19th.
Impact rookie defender Alex Surprenant, 18, is currently taking part in Under 20 Canadian national team’s training camp, in preparation for an exhibition game against Argentina U20 team, this Sunday, at BMO Field, in Toronto. He will then join his Impact teammates in Charleston.
Four Thunder players have played for the Impact last season: defenders Andres Arango and Paul Moran, as well as forwards Frederico Moojen and Alen Marcina.
“Under new ownership, the Thunder made a lot of changes and signed quality players,” noted defender Simon Gatti. “So it will be a different game, but I think we’ll get a good result.”
This is the fourth game of the season for the Thunder, who has won its last two games by 1-0 shutouts: May 4, against the Rochester Rhinos, at home, and April 26, in Vancouver. In 2007, the Thunder did not get a playoff spot after finishing the season 11th in the USL D1 standings with a record of 5-12-11.
This is the fifth of six straight games on the road, before the Impact’s home opener at Saputo Stadium, Monday, May 19, at 3 pm, against the Vancouver Whitecaps.
OTHER FACTS
• Impact defender Nevio Pizzolitto will miss a second game due to a torn ligament in his right shoulder.
• Midfielders Sita-Taty Matondo, Cristian Nunez and Matthew Palleschi did not make the trip to Minnesota.
• Defender Gabriel Gervais and midfielder Joey Gjertsen were named to the USL First Division Team of the Week (3rd week).
• Forward Charles Gbeke is still only one point away from the 50-point mark in the USL First Division. With 13 goals scored with the Impact, he is ranked 9th in club history.
• This is the first of three games between both teams. The two teams will face each other again September 5, at Saputo Stadium, and September 20, in Minnesota.
NEXT GAMES
• Wednesday, May 14 – IMPACT @ Charleston – Blackbaud Stadium– 7:30 pm (USLlive.com)
• Monday, May 19 – Vancouver @ IMPACT – SAPUTO STADIUM – 3 pm (Radio-Canada, CKAC Sports, THE TEAM 990, USLlive.com)
• Friday, May 23 – IMPACT @ Trois-Rivières Attak – 7:30 pm
• Tuesday, May 27 – Toronto FC @ IMPACT – SAPUTO STADIUM – 7:30 pm (USLlive.com)
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Source: Patrick Vallée, Montreal Impact
Info: 514-328-3668, Ext. 227
