Byers scored his first career goal with the Impact in his first start with the club. After accepting a long pass from midfielder Pato Aguilera through the Carolina defense, Byers went alone towards RailHawks goalkeeper Chris McClellan, easily outplayed him and netted the ball in a lone goal.
Byers then scored the insurance goal at the 83rd minute by deflecting near the goal line with his foot, a centering pass from Joey Gjertsen, who came from the left wing and who had entered the game at the 57th minute.
"It was not easy at all tonight but we came together as a team," said Byers. "We performed the way we should have, despite our two ejections. I'm glad to have scored tonight and will look forward to score more goals and help my team win."
The Impact was forced to play with ten men starting at the 14th minute, following defender Nevio Pizzolitto’s expulsion due to an accidental elbow on forward Ronald Cerritos. Impact head coach John Limniatis was also expelled by referee Chris Penso at the 20th minute after contesting the latter’s decision during a delay in the substitution of an Impact player.
RailHawks midfielder Santiago Fusilier was also ejected at the 76th minute, after tackling Impact defender Cédric Joqueviel.
A number of regular Impact players were out of the lineup due to injuries: defenders Adam Braz and Gabriel Gervais, as well as midfielders Rocco Placentino, Mauro Biello, Sandro Grande and Patrick Leduc. Forward Roberto Brown and defender Stefano Pesoli were also absent because the league only allows five foreign players to play per game.
Goalkeeper Andrew Weber, who was playing his third season game, signed his first win and his first shutout this year, after facing 10 shots, including two hard shots from forward Dan Antoniuk in the second half.
The Impact shut out the RaiHawks for a third time in as many games this season (7GF – 0GA).
This was the 100th road victory in the club’s history (in 197 games).
Elsewhere in the league, the Rochester Rhinos, who shut out the Silverbacks 1-0 yesterday evening in Atlanta, are now in third place in the standings, tied with the Charleston Battery. The Puerto Rico Islanders and the Vancouver Whitecaps have clinched a spot in the playoffs.
The Montreal Impact will play its next game of the CONCACAF Champions League, Tuesday. The club will match up against the Real Estelí, the Nicaraguan champion team, at the Carlos Miranda Stadium in Comayagua, Honduras, since no stadium in Nicaragua complied with FIFA rules. The game is scheduled at 10 pm (Eastern Time, radio-canada.ca) and will be one-hour tape delayed (11 pm) on Radio-Canada television.
HIGHLIGHTS
9th minute – After accepting a pass by midfielder Tony Donatelli, forward Peter Byers went alone towards RailHawks goalkeeper Chris McClellan, but his weak shot went to the left of the goal.
19th minute – RailHawks midfielder Santiago Fusilier recovered a free ball and fired a low cannon shot that went to the left of the Impact goal.
42nd minute - Impact midfielder Gason Gregory deflected with a header a free kick from midfielder Pato Aguilera, but RailHawks goalkeeper Chris McClellan stopped the ball without moving.
GAME SUMMARY
PHOTOS PÉPÉ
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Source: Patrick Vallée, Montreal Impact
Info: 514-328-3668 (ext. 227)
