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Impact Set to Kick off the 2013 Regular Season this Saturday at 10:30pm in Seattle

March 1, 2013 - Major League Soccer (MLS) - Club de Foot Montreal News Release


MONTREAL, Quebec - The Montreal Impact is set to kick off the 2013 regular season on the road this Saturday, at 10:30 pm (ET), as the club plays the Seattle Sounders FC at CenturyLink Field on opening weekend in MLS. The game will be broadcast live on TVA Sports, CJAD 800 AM and 98,5FM, and is available on illico web, illico mobile and MLS Live.

Impact news

The Impact ended its preseason camp in Florida by beating the Columbus Crew in the final of the Walt Disney Pro Soccer Classic down in Orlando, Florida by a 1-0 score. Justin Mapp scored the game winner.

The Impact went undefeated in the tournament, beating Sporting Kansas City 2-1, dominating the Tampa Bay Rowdies 4-1 and tying D.C. United 1-1 to finish top of its group.

Designated Player Marco Di Vaio finished as the team's top scorer in the tournament, scoring three times and adding an assist in four games, while newcomer Andrea Pisanu set up two goals and scored one of his own, a spectacular half-bicycle kick against D.C. United.

The team went 3-1-2 overall in preseason action.

Joining Pisanu as a new signing in 2013, this game will be the first opening day experience for the Argentinean midfielder Andres Romero, who joined the club in February.

Head to head

In the only matchup between these clubs last season, the Impact bested the Sounders 4-1 at home on June 16, marking the official re-opening of the expanded Stade Saputo. 2012 team MVP, Patrice Bernier, earned three assists on the night. This will be the only regular-season meeting between both teams in 2013.

In the club's inaugural game in Major League Soccer on March 10, 2012, the Impact lost 2-0 against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC at BC Place, in front of 21,000 spectators.

Injury Report: OUT - M - Sinisa Ubiparipovic (calf); D -Maxim Tissot (shoulder); D - Nelson Rivas (knee)

Seattle Sounders news

This is also the season and home opener for the Seattle Sounders FC, which is playing in its fifth MLS season. In 2012, the Sounders FC won their season opener 3-1 against Toronto FC, at CenturyLink Field, in Seattle.

Seattle enjoyed a successful preseason as well, winning the Desert Diamond Cup in Arizona, defeating Real Salt Lake in the final 1-0 and going 4-0-0 during the competition.

In 450 minutes over five matches while in Tucson, including a draw with Mexican side Veracruz, the Sounders allowed just one goal. Part of the reason was the goaltending as Seattle probably packs the best one two punch in goal in the entire league with Michael Gspurning, who finished the 2012 season with the top goals against average in MLS at 0.73, and newcomer Marcus Hahnemann, joining the Sounders from Everton.

While in Tucson, the Sounders made two major player acquisitions, trading for midfielder Shalrie Joseph, who played 10 seasons in MLS and a four time Best-lX selection, along with signing defender Djimi Traore, who won the UEFA Champions League with Liverpool.

Former Impact midfielder Lamar Neagle, who was acquired by the Impact at the beginning of last season in a trade, was sent back to Seattle on January 27.

The team did lose star and all-time leading scorer with 47 goals, Fredy Montero, who was sent out on loan to Millonarios FC of the Columbian first division, and will be without DP Christian Tiffert, as the former German international has not been seen at Sounders camp. Defender Jeff Parke was dealt to Philadelphia in the offseason.

Midfielder Osvaldo Alonso will be unavailable for the matchup as he is serving a suspension, following a red card in the playoffs in 2012.

This will mark the fifth straight year that the Sounders have opened the season at home, where they have set new league attendance marks each season, averaging 43,144 per game at CenturyLink Field last year.

Next Game

The Impact will remain on the west coast for the entire week as it prepares for its second game of the season in Portland against the Timbers on Saturday, March 9, at 10:30 pm (ET). The game will be broadcast live on TVA Sports and 98,5FM.

Then the team heads back to Montreal to host Toronto FC in its home opener at Olympic Stadium on Saturday, March 16 at 4pm (ET). Individual tickets, min-season packages and season tickets are available by calling 514-328-3668. 2013 season tickets are available in seven categories, at a cost of $295, $385, $475, $580, $770 and $1070.

Game Notes

- Since the Impact's debut in 1993, the team has a lifetime record of six wins, nine losses and four ties in 19 season openers (18GF - 20GA).

- The Impact has not won its first game of the season since 2004 (0-3-4). It will be the first time both teams meet in a season opener.

- The Impact has always kicked off the regular season on the road, except in 1994, during the World Cup in the United States, when the season started on July 1st at home, against the Toronto Lynx. - The club faced the Sounders between 1994 and 2008, in the North American second division. The Impact recorded nine wins, 13 losses and two ties in 24 games.

- Midfielder Sanna Nyassi played two seasons with Seattle, in 2009 and 2010, scoring two goals and three assists in 38 games.

- Goalkeeper Troy Perkins is currently in 10th place in MLS goalkeeping history with 159 games played and starts, 14,287 minutes of play and 537 saves.

- Midfielder Justin Mapp needs just one assist to reach 50 career MLS assists.

- Midfielder Patrice Bernier's next goal will be the 10th of his career in MLS.

2012 season stats

- The Montreal Impact finished the season first among MLS teams with nine goals on penalty kicks and 114 offside calls, eighth with 427 fouls committed and ninth with 45 total goals and 443 shots.

- Midfielder Felipe led the team and finished eighth in the league with 10 assists.

- Midfielder Patrice Bernier finished the season tied for sixth in the league with four game-winning assists.

- Midfielder Davy Arnaud finished second in the league with 74 fouls suffered, while Felipe was tied for third with 70 fouls suffered.

- Goalkeeper Troy Perkins completed the season fifth in MLS with 148 shots faced and 101 saves.


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