The Impact plays the second of a three-game series on the road before its home opener at Saputo Stadium, Saturday May 9, at 3:30 pm, against the Rochester Rhinos.
In its first game, on April 18, the Impact tied the Battery 0-0 at Blackbaud Stadium in Charleston. Goalkeeper Matt Jordan registered his 21st career shutout, after facing 10 shots.
“Following our first game, we hope to see some improvements Friday in Miami,” said head coach John Limniatis. “We have to become better at every game. We will need to be more dangerous offensively to win the game. The Miami FC is a team that changed substantially compared to last season, but that nonetheless obtained a good result in its first season game.”
“It will be important to score early on during the game to take off some of the pressure from scoring the first season goal,” noted team captain Mauro Biello, who has recovered from a clavicle injury. “Scoring the first goal would shift the pressure to our opponent. We also want to maintain our streak without allowing a goal.”
“We played well in Charleston but we continued working this week during training,” mentioned midfielder Félix Brillant. “We will need to stay well organized defensively, while trying to come up with the right combination to score. We are well prepared, so we should have a good game.”
The Impact is still undefeated in eight games against Miami. Montreal has a lifetime record of 4-0-4 (7GF–2GA) against the Florida team, which plays the fourth season in its brief history.
In 2008, the Impact tallied seven out of a total of nine points against Miami. Also in its second game of the season, the Impact defeated Miami 2-1, on April 19. On June 4 at Saputo Stadium, both teams tied 0-0. Then, on July 18, back in Montreal, the Impact won 3-1.
After missing the first game, Impact team captain Mauro Biello, who recovered from a clavicle injury, and forward Roberto Brown, who is back from a light ankle injury, travelled to Florida with the team.
Defender Cédric Joqueviel, who suffered a light ankle sprain in the last game in Charleston, did not travel with his teammates to Miami. Defender Stefano Pesoli, midfielder Patrick Leduc, as well as forwards Peter Byers and Pa Amadou Gai, will also be out of the lineup.
OTHER FACTS
• Kevin Sakuda’s next game will be the 150th in his USL First Division career.
• On March 29, the Impact signed a 2-0 win against Miami FC in preseason game played in Sunrise.
• This is the first of three games between both teams this season. Montreal and Miami will play again on June 23 in Montreal and August 1st in Florida.
• Miami FC plays its first five regular season games at home. This season, the Florida team will play its home games in three different stadiums: FIU Stadium and Tropical Park Stadium, in Miami, as well as Lockhart Stadium, in Fort Lauderdale.
• In its first season game, April 18, Miami signed a 3-1 victory against the Cleveland City Stars.
• Despite an uncertain future for the franchise during the offseason, a few players from the 2008 edition are back with Miami this season. Among the newcomers: forward Diego Serna and defender Facundo Erpen, who both played in Major League Soccer.
• After eight games played so far this season in the USL First Division, no team has yet won on the road (0-4-4).
PRE-GAME VIDEO
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Source : Patrick Vallée, Montreal Impact
Info : 514-328-3668, Ext. 227
