Impact Plays Against Whitecaps In Vancouver Sunday

June 6, 2009 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Montreal Impact News Release


VANCOUVER - The Montreal Impact (2-4-2) plays the second and last game of a west coast trip, Sunday, against the Vancouver Whitecaps (3-3-2), at Swangard Stadium, in Burnaby (10 pm, USLlive.com).

Thursday evening in Portland, the Impact conceded the only goal of the game in stoppage time of the second half, losing 1-0 to the Portland Timbers, at PGE Park, in Portland.

"We need to focus on what we did well in our last game against Portland," said Impact midfielder David Testo, who is the only played all eight regular season games. "No one is going into this game with their head down. We all have a good attitude and ultimately, it's the team that comes out with the right mentality that is going to win. We can't only focus on wins and losses, we need to grow as a team and the results will follow."

This is the first regular season game between both teams. However the Impact played against the Whitecaps twice in the Nutrilite Canadian Championship, May 20 and 27, losing respectively by 2-0 and 1-0 scores.

"Our game against Vancouver will be extremely important. We work to win all possible points," noted Impact head coach Marc Dos Santos. "We don't have an easy calendar up to now, since seven out of nine games were played on the road. We are taking Vancouver the same way we took Portland and Rochester, with a winning mentality and with intelligence. In the last four games, we were well organized defensively and we were showing better ball circulation. Where we need to review our positioning is in the offensive third, where more clarity is needed."

In their last USL First Division game, May 30, the Whitecaps were defeated 2-0 against the Timbers, in Portland.

But Vancouver recently signed three clean sheets in the Nutrilite Canadian Championship: 2-0 in Montreal, May 20, 1-0 against the Impact in Vancouver, May 27, and 2-0 against Toronto FC in Vancouver, June 2.

Whitecaps midfielder Justin Moose will miss Sunday 's game due to a foot injury. Geordie Lyall and Marlon James are also on the injured player list. James is the top Caps scorer with three goals.

Various players have played for the other team. From the Impact, midfielders Joey Gjertsen, David Testo and Tony Donatelli, as well as forward Eduardo Sebrango and goalkeeper Srdjan Djekanovic have already played for the Whitecaps, whereas Caps forward Charles Gbeke and midfielder Martin Nash have played in Montreal.

The Impact will be back home June 18 to play its fourth and last Nutrilite Canadian Championship game against Toronto FC, at Saputo Stadium.

OTHER FACTS

- Since the arrival of Vancouver (formerly 86ers, which became the Whitecaps) in the league, in 1993, the Impact has maintained a 20-9-5 regular season record.

- In the last playoffs, the Impact was eliminated by the Whitecaps in the semifinals 2-1 in aggregate goals.

- This is the first of three games between both clubs this season. Both teams will meet again at Saputo Stadium, June 20 and September 9.

NEXT GAMES

- Thursday, June 18 - Toronto @ IMPACT - 8 pm (Sportsnet, radio-canada.ca, CKAC Sports, THE TEAM 990)*

- Saturday, June 20 - Vancouver @ IMPACT - 1:30 pm (Radio-Canada, CKAC Sports, THE TEAM 990, USLlive.com)

- Tuesday, June 23 - Miami @ IMPACT - 7:30 pm (CKAC Sports, THE TEAM 990, USLlive.com)

*Nutrilite Canadian Championship



USL First Division Stories from June 6, 2009


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