Last weekend’s USSDA games were a good challenge for the U18 and U16 Impact teams, who were facing BW Gottschee – league leader at the U18 level and a well-positioned playoff team at the U16 level.
The Impact U18 team quickly took the lead when Pierre Lamothe scored on a penalty kick in the ninth minute. Back from the locker room for the second half, the team doubled its lead, this time with a goal from Don-Junior Bobe. But Gottschee came from behind with two goals for a draw. It was only the second time this season that the league leader didn’t win a game.
“Again, it was a formative game for the players, and it confirms the good result we got last week,” said Impact U18 head coach Yoann Damet. “The players know that we need to end the regular season well to prepare for the playoffs. The ending of the game is frustrating, because we could have been the second team to beat Gottschee this season. Unfortunately, we allowed a goal in the dying moments of the game. It’s a new lesson for the group. We try to learn from every mistake and hope to be able to give the players all the required tools to face challenges by the end of the season.”
The Impact U16 won its game 1-0. The team fell to 10 men in the 14th minute after a red card. Despite this challenge, they created most of the chances in the game, which paid in the end when the Impact got a penalty kick that midfielder Tristano Fasulo converted.
The U18s (11-4-8) are now 20th out of 74 teams and the U16 (13-4-6) are in 13th position. With three games remaining this season, both teams will play two games next weekend, starting against the New England Revolution academy on Saturday, followed by FC Boston Bolts on Sunday. The teams will return to the Montreal Impact training centre on Sunday, June 5, for the last game of the season, against Beachside SC.
