Impact Faces The Whitecaps In Vancouver Saturday
September 12, 2008 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Montreal Impact News Release
VANCOUVER - The Montreal Impact (12-10-5; 41 points) is playing Saturday its 28th game of the season against the Vancouver Whitecaps (13-7-8; 47 points) at Swangard Stadium (10 pm, USLlive.com).
With three games left to play, the Impact consolidated its spot in the playoffs Wednesday after winning 2-1 against the Sounders in Seattle. Midfielders Tony Donatelli and Antonio Ribeiro scored for the Impact, while goalkeeper Andrew Weber registered his second win of the campaign.
The Impact, which has now a 7-2-1 record in its last 10 regular season games, is now ranked third in the USL First Division standings with 41 points, one more than Charleston and Rochester, which is facing Puerto Rico tonight.
"Lately, we score more goals and it gives us more chances of winning," said Impact head coach John Limniatis. "The players are executing the game plan that we established and defensively, we are also playing well. But there is no magic, the players are working hard and it generates positive results. We want to continue to win until the end of the season, which would allow us to have the field advantage in the playoffs."
This is the fifth game between both clubs in 2008. In regular season play, the Impact was shut out 1-0 at Swangard Stadium, April 12, before tying 0-0, May 19, in the home opener at Saputo Stadium. But the Impact won its two games against the Whitecaps by a 2-0 score in the Nutrilite Canadian Championship.
"We are expecting a tough game because Vancouver wants to finish in first place in the standings," said defender Nevio Pizzolitto. "Usually we match them well because we respect that team and we are cautious. There is a great rivalry between both teams as we all are eager and proud of being the best team in the country. We will also try to show them that we will be a dangerous team to face in the playoffs."
The Whitecaps, which are playing their next-to-last season game, the last one at home, have not won in their last three matches (0-1-2). They are only two points from the Puerto Rico Islanders and first place, with two regular season games to play.
Many players have been with the other team. On the Impact side, midfielders Joey Gjertsen, David Testo and Tony Donatelli have played with the Whitecaps, while on Vancouver's side, forwards Charles Gbeke and Eduardo Sebrango, as well as midfielder Martin Nash have played with Montreal.
The Impact will then play its first game of the CONCACAF Champions League group stage, Wednesday September 17 against Joe Public FC (Trinidad & Tobago) at Saputo Stadium, at 8 pm.
OTHER FACTS
- Defender Nevio Pizzolitto joined his teammates in Vancouver after serving a three-game suspension.
- Defender Cédric Joqueviel, who missed Wednesday's game due to a light ankle injury, should start the game in Vancouver.
- Defender Gabriel Gervais, midfielders Patrick Leduc, Mauro Biello and Rocco Placentino, as well as forward Roberto Brown did not travel with the team on the west coast.
- Whitecaps defender Wesley Charles should be back in the line-up after suffering a thigh injury.
- Since Vancouver's (86ers became the Whitecaps) arrival in the league in 1993, the Impact has a 20-8-5 record in regular season.
- The top seven teams will advance to the playoff tournament, with the Commissioner's Cup winner (regular season champion) receiving a bye into the semi-finals. The first round will involve the #2 - #7 seeds competing in two-leg aggregate score series with the three winners advancing to semi-finals, with #1 seed pitted against the lowest remaining seed.
ELSEWHERE IN THE LEAGUE
- Charleston @ Minnesota - 8:05 pm
- Atlanta @ Seattle - 10 pm
NEXT GAMES
- Wednesday, September 17 - Joe Public FC @ IMPACT - 8 pm (to be determined)*
- Saturday, September 20 - IMPACT @ Minnesota - 10 pm (USLlive.com)
- Sunday, September 21 - Puerto Rico @ IMPACT - 7:30 pm (CKAC Sports, THE TEAM 990, USLlive.com)
-End of the regular season-
*CONCACAF Champions League
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USL First Division Stories from September 12, 2008
- Sounders In Action Saturday With Playoff Spot Up For Grabs - Seattle Sounders
- Impact Faces The Whitecaps In Vancouver Saturday - Montreal Impact
- Carolina RailHawks Partner with Food Bank to Fight Hunger - North Carolina FC
- Miami FC re-signs goalkeeper Josh Saunders for 2009 season - Fort Lauderdale Strikers
- Sounders Take On The Atlanta Silverbacks At Starfire - Seattle Sounders
- RailHawks Host Rochester Rhinos Sunday, September 14, at 6:00 p.m. - North Carolina FC
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