Impact down FC Vizela 1-0

February 27, 2008 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Montreal Impact News Release


VIZELA, Portugal - The Montreal Impact shut out second division club FC Vizela 1-0, Wednesday, in its third and final pre-season game in Portugal. The Impact ends its trip in Portugal with a record of two wins and one loss.

Forward Severino Jefferson, who is still on trial with the Impact, scored the game-winning goal in the 27th minute of play. Jefferson rushed to the net through the center of the box and struck a low ball that beat Vizela goalkeeper Baptista just inside the left post.

Goalkeeper Andrew Weber, who played the whole 90 minutes, tallied the shutout for the Impact.

"For the first 10 minutes, we were able to contain them and then, we were able to find spaces," said Impact head coach Nick De Santis. "We did very well offensively, with our first touches, to get out of congested areas. We were also very solid defensively, our midfielders recuperated balls and our wingers created problems for them on the sides. When your midfield works well, and your forwards have a good chemistry up front, you're going to create problems for the opponent."

Joey Gjersten was particularly effective on the right flank, with numerous rushes and centering passes.

Jefferson left the game in the 50th minute, suffering a pulled groin, and was replaced by Charles Gbeke.

Goalkeeper Andrew Weber, defenders Adam Braz, Cédric Joqueviel, Gabriel Gervais, Simon Gatti, midfielders David Testo, Patrick Leduc, Joey Gjertsen and Leonardo Di Lorenzo, as well as forwards Roberto Brown and Severino Jefferson started the game for the Impact.

Contrary to previous games where he fielded different line-ups for each half, De Santis made gradual changes through the game, substituting a total of seven players.

Goalkeeper Matt Jordan, defenders Andres Arango, Cristian Nunez, Luis Aguilar and Chris Williams, as well as forwards Sita-Taty Matondo and Massimo Di Ioia did not participate in the game.

FC Vizela, which is currently fighting for the first place overall and aspiring to relegation to first division, played the second half of the match with its full squad.

"I think the team did great, we bounced back from a bad performance yesterday in the second half and one of the things we want to do is never lose two games in a row, even in pre-season," said Impact defender Gabriel Gervais, who played 60 minutes. "To see our team play like this in February is very encouraging, we usually move the ball around like this in the month of July. We played against a very good team, especially in the second half. We saw their speed and their physical strength but we fared well against them and it allows us to finish this trip on a high note."

The Impact concludes its two pre-season training camps, in Italy and Portugal, with a record of three wins, two losses and one tie.

The team will head back to Montreal Thursday and resume training at the Catalogna Soccerplex, in Lachine, March 6.



USL First Division Stories from February 27, 2008


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