Kevin Hatchi (11th minute) scored the only goal for the Impact, while Étienne Barbara (22nd minute) and Pablo Campos (35th minute) scored for Carolina.
The Impact opened the scoring at the 11th minute. Following a corner from Luke Kreamalmeyer, midfielder Amir Lowery took a low shot from 20 meters, and defender Kevin Hatchi tipped the ball, as he was standing close to RailHawks goalkeeper Brad Knighton. Hatchi was playing his first career game with the Impact.
RailHawks forward Etienne Barbara tied the game at the 22nd minute. Following a cross from Floyd Franks, lighty cleared by the Montreal defense, Barbara beat the Impact goalkeeper with a low left footed shot, as the ball was tipped by an Impact player before crossing the goal line.
Forward Pablo Campos scored the winning-goal for the RailHawks at the 35th minute. After receiving a pass from Matt Watson behing the Impact defence, Campos looped the ball over Gaudette, who was out of his net.
“We didn’t play well during 20 minutes in the first half and is cost us two goals and the game,” said Impact head coach Marc Dos Santos. “We gave up goals to easily, one on a set play. We must show more concentration in those moments. It’s deceiving because we started the game well. Then, in the second half, we weren’t able to create the opportunities we wanted and we didn’t have a lot of movement in the offensive third. We didn’t do enough to win tonight in Carolina.”
“We are not looking for excuses, but it’s impossible to win a game if there’s no consistency with the refereeing,” added Dos Santos. “Ali (Gerba) was fouled twice in the 18-yard box and the referee didn’t give a penalty on both occasions.”
Goalkeeper Bill Gaudette made key saves during the game. At the 17th minute, he dived to his right to block a 20-meter low shot from Nick Zimmerman. Then at the 69th minute, Gaudette came out of his net to block a shot from midfielder Brian Farber.
The Impact could not avenge its 2-1 loss in last year’s playoff semi-finals against the RailHawks and could not rebound from the 1-0 loss suffered against FC Tampa Bay in the 2011 season opener last Saturday.
Montreal starts the season with two straight losses for the first time since 2002 and the fourth time since 1993.
Center back Kevin Hatchi and midfielder Idriss Ech Chergui, acquired during the offseason, were both part of the starting lineup, playing their first career game with the Impact.
Defender Karl Ouimette and forward Mircea Ilcu, from the U21 Impact Academy, were in the lineup for a second consecutive game but did not play.
Midfielders Leonardo Di Lorenzo (thigh) and Hassoun Camara (thigh), as well as forward Reda Agourram (thigh) were not available due to injuries, while defenders Hicham Aaboubou and Richard Pelletier both missed the game serving a suspension.
It was the first of four games between both teams this season. The Impact will face the RailHawks on May 15 at Saputo Stadium, on July 3 in Cary and then on September 11 again in Montreal.
Montreal will play its 2011 home opener on April 23 at Saputo Stadium against FC Tampa Bay, at 2:30pm (Radio-Canada, radio-canada.ca/sports, CKAC Sports, THE TEAM 990).
Season tickets are still available for the 2011 season via the Impact’s website (impactmontreal.com) and the club’s sales offices at 514-328-3668. All season ticket holders for 2010 will automatically be given seating priority for the 2012 season in Major League Soccer (MLS) by reserving their seats with a $50 reimbursable deposit.
NEXT THREE GAMES
• Saturday, April 23 – Tampa Bay @ IMPACT – Saputo Stadium – 2:30pm (home opener)
• Wednesday, April 27 – Vancouver @ IMPACT – Saputo Stadium – 8pm (Nutrilite Canadian Championship)
• Sunday, May 1 – IMPACT @ Edmonton – Foote Stadium – 9:35pm
GAME TRACKER
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