Thunder eyes upset against Montreal Friday at home

Published on July 18, 2006 under USL First Division (USL-1)
Minnesota Thunder News Release


St. Paul, Minn. (Tuesday, July 18, 2006)-- The Minnesota Thunder will get another chance for an upset victory in hosting the first-place Montreal Impact on Friday, July 21 at 7:05 p.m. at James Griffin Stadium. The Thunder lost 2-1 to the Vancouver Whitecaps last Friday when the Whitecaps were in first place.

About the Thunder

Minnesota (2-8-5, 11 points) is currently tied with the Toronto Lynx at the bottom of the USL First Division but still has a realistic chance of making the playoffs. Most recently, the Thunder lost 2-1 to the second-place Vancouver Whitecaps on July 14. Minnesota got a boost offensively when forward Nathan Knox returned to the lineup after missing seven games with a hamstring injury. Knox is second on the team in scoring points, with two goals and two assists for six points in eight games played. Melvin Tarley leads the Thunder with four goals and two assists for 10 points. Friday will be Minnesota's second game in a four-game home stand.

About the Impact

Montreal (9-1-5, 32 points) recently took over first place in the USL First Division with a 1-0 road victory over second-place Vancouver on Sunday. The Impact are the best in the league defensively, allowing just six goals this season in 15 games. Goalkeepers Andrew Weber and Gregory Sutton have split time in goal, posting goals against averages of 0.333 and 0.500, respectively. Offensively, forward Mauricio Salles leads the way with five goals and one assist for 11 points. Friday will be the third consecutive road game for the Impact.

Season Series

Friday's match-up will be the second of the season for the Thunder and Impact. On May 21, Montreal beat the Thunder 4-0 at home at Claude Robillard Sports Complex. In 2005, the Thunder and Impact faced each other twice. They tied 1-1 in Minnesota, while the Impact won 1-0 in Montreal.

Up Next

The Thunder will play two home games next weekend. On Thursday, July 27, the Thunder will host the Charleston Battery at 7:05 p.m. at the National Sports Center in Blaine. The game will be part of the MYSA State Tournament Opening Ceremonies. Minnesota will return to action on Sunday, July 30. The Thunder will face the Atlanta Silverbacks at 5:05 p.m. at James Griffin Stadium. For ticket information, call 651.917.TEAM or visit www.mnthunder.com




USL First Division Stories from July 18, 2006


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