Toronto FC Crush Impact for Title
June 19, 2009 - USL First Division (USL-1)
Montreal Impact News Release
MONTREAL - The Montreal Impact (0-4-0) lost 6-1 (half-time 2-1) against Toronto FC (3-1-0), Thursday evening at Saputo Stadium, in the last game of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship.
Toronto clinched the title after winning this decisive game with more than four goals, capturing for the first time the Voyageurs Cup.
"Tonight's result is extremely disappointing," said Impact President Joey Saputo. "The players wearing the Impact jersey have to show pride and they did not tonight. Even though the match had no significance, we can't hide our heads in the sand. This is not the way this club should perform in front of our fans, in our stadium. Being first and foremost a fan, I know that this is not acceptable."
"I had to trust everyone tonight, since this was not a significant game. It's just unfortunate to see how certain players responded," said head coach Marc Dos Santos. "They were supposed to give everything they had and this is not what happened. We did not play with character."
Toronto FC forward Dwayne De Rosario registered a hat trick (29th, 39th and 49th minute) and was chosen the tournament's Most Valuable Player. Midfielder Amado Guevara (69th and 90th minute) scored twice, while Chad Barrett also scored once for Toronto.
"I want to congratulate Toronto," added Dos Santos. "I think they deserve the victory tonight. They were the best team on the field. The difference this evening was in the offensive third: they scored six goals and we were unable to net a second one."
Midfielder Tony Donatelli had opened the score at the 24th minute on a penalty. On the previous sequence, forward Peter Byers had been tackled by defender Nick Garcia in the penalty box.
Goalkeeper Srdjan Djekanovic, who was playing his second career game with the Impact, a first in the Canadian championship, faced 19 shots. Despite allowing six goals, Djekanovic made a couple of key saves, notably at the expense of De Rosario and Barrett.
No less than eight players were out of the lineup Thursday: defenders Nevio Pizzolitto (groin), Adam Braz (thigh), Cédric Joqueviel (thigh) and Zanzan (national team), midfielders Mauro Biello (clavicle) and Patrick Leduc (foot), as well as forwards Eduardo Sebrango (personal reasons) and Pa Amadou Gai (thigh).
For the first time in club history, two brothers have taken part in the same game. Thursday evening, defender Elkana Mayard and midfielder Pierre-Rudolph Mayard were both on the starting lineup.
Central defender Stefano Pesoli played his first game this season, after replacing David Testo at the 51st minute of play.
The Impact will play its next game in less than 40 hours against the Canadian champions, the Whitecaps, this Saturday at 1:30 pm, at Saputo Stadium, in a regular season game of the USL First Division (Radio-Canada, CBC, CKAC Sports, THE TEAM 990, USLlive.com).
THE GOALS
24th minute - Tony Donatelli fired a precise shot, beating Toronto goalkeeper Stefan Frei to his left.
29th minute - De Rosario took advantage of a ball weakly boxed by Impact goalkeeper Srdjan Djekanovic and executed a bicycle kick at the edge of the six-yard area.
39th minute - Left alone at the entrance of the box on the right side, De Rosario fired a low shot, which deflected on Elkana Mayard, defeating Djekanovic to his right.
49th minute - Following a deep pass, De Rosario beat Djekanovic with a low shot to his right.
69th minute - Midfielder Amado Guevara beat Djekanovic to his right with a 20-meter free kick.
83rd minute - Forward Chad Barrett scored the 5th and decisive goal of the game for Toronto after deflecting with a header a corner kick from Amado Guevara.
90th minute - Guevara accepted a pass in front of the goal and took a right foot shot, beating Djekanovic to his left.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS :
5th minute - After accepting a pass from Tony Donatelli, midfielder Leonardo Di Lorenzo fired a left foot shot over the Toronto FC net.
43rd minute - Midfielder Pierre-Rudolph Mayard fired a left foot free kick from about 25 meters that went just to the left of the Toronto goal.
57th minute - Mayard went on a breakaway on the right wing, but his low shot was stopped by Frei.
65th minute - Alone on a breakaway, forward Peter Byers fired a low shot that Frei blocked by diving to the ground.
NEXT GAMES
- Saturday, June 20 - Vancouver @ IMPACT - 1:30 pm (Radio-Canada, CBC, CKAC Sports, THE TEAM 990, USLlive.com)
- Tuesday, June 23 - Miami @ IMPACT - 7:30 pm (CKAC Sports, THE TEAM 990, USLlive.com)
- Sunday, June 28 - IMPACT @ Portland - 8 pm (USLlive.com)
INTERNATIONAL GAMES IN MONTREAL
- Saturday, June 27 - Haiti VS Syria - Saputo Stadium - 3:30 pm
- Wednesday, July 1 - Haiti VS IMPACT - Saputo Stadium - 7:30 pm
- Wednesday, July 8 - Syria VS IMPACT - Saputo Stadium - 7:30 pm
- Saturday, July 25 - EA Guingamp VS FC Girondins de Bordeaux - Olympic Stadium - 3 pm
- Tuesday, July 28 - FC Girondins de Bordeaux VS Impact -Saputo Stadium - 7:30 pm
- Tuesday, August 4 - CA River Plate VS Impact -Saputo Stadium - 7:30 pm
USL First Division Stories from June 19, 2009
- RailHawks Draw Austin, 1-1 - North Carolina FC
- Miami FC to Play Second Game in Cleveland - Fort Lauderdale Strikers
- Whitecaps Return To Montreal For Soccer Day In Canada - Vancouver Whitecaps
- Game Preview: Austin Aztex FC vs. Carolina RailHawks - Austin Aztex
- City Stars Rematch With Miami FC Saturday At 7 - Cleveland City Stars
- Impact to Face Whitecaps Saturday - Montreal Impact
- Toronto FC Crush Impact for Title - Montreal Impact
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