Next game on February 6 against Nashville
BRADENTON. Florida – The Montreal Impact kicked off its preseason schedule with a 1-1 draw against FC Cincinnati, Wednesday night on the fields of IMG Academy. Ignacio Piatti scored the Bleu-blanc-noir’s goal in the first half.
The Impact used two completely different line-ups in the first and second halves, giving most players present at camp 45 minutes of play.
“This was an excellent super training session that put an emphasis on the work we’ve been doing so far in Florida” said Impact head coach Rémi Garde. “What stood out for me was the players’ effort in applying what we’ve been working on both offensively and defensively. It’s a good foundation to continue working on. We didn’t succeed in everything we did, but I felt a desire from the players to apply what they learned in training.”
Nacho picks up where he left off
At the left of an attacking trident alongside newcomers Harry Novillo and Maximiliano Urruti, Designated Player Nacho Piatti didn’t take long to regain his form, scoring the training camp’s first goal at the 11th minute following a strong individual effort. After recovering the ball near the middle of the field, the Argentine dribbled past an opponent before unleashing a left-footed shot from a long way out, beating goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton to his left.
FC Cincinnati thought it tied things up in the 16th minute, but the play was called offside.
After both sides exchanged opportunities, Piatti came close to notching a second, but his curled shot rattled the post and stayed out. Nacho had accepted a pass from Urruti, who had made a piercing run through midfield.
In the 49th minute, the Ohio club tied things up thanks to Darren Mattocks, who surprised goalkeeper Clément Diop by chipping the ball over him.
The French goalkeeper stood out in the 64th minute, making a fingertip save on a powerful shot from Nazmi Albadaw from just inside the box.
Five minutes later, the Impact earned itself a free kick just outside the box following a bad tackle on Saphir Taïder. The Algerian international’s ensuing attempt was however stopped by the opposing goalkeeper.
The Impact came close to getting the go-ahead goal in the 71st minute, but Anthony Jackson-Hamel’s attempt hit the crossbar following a nice cross from fellow Academy product Clément Bayiha.
“When we were able to settle the ball down and move it side to side, we did a good job threatening them,” said midfielder Shamit Shome. “There was a couple of things we could’ve done better, but I think tactically we followed what the coach wanted offensively and defensively, so it was a good step forward for us.”
Upcoming games
The Impact will play a total of five preseason games, including two against USL clubs. The team will face Nashville SC on Wednesday, February 6 at 7pm on the fields of Premier Sports Campus Lakewood Ranch. The Montreal squad will then face the Philadelphia Union on Saturday, February 16 at 4pm, the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Wednesday, February 20 at 7pm, and D.C. United on Saturday, February 23 at 7pm. The final three games will all be played at Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, Florida.
The team will then kick off its MLS regular season against the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday, March 2, at 10pm EST at Avaya Stadium.
LINE-UPS
MTL – G-Evan Bush (Clément Diop 46’); D-Bacary Sagna (Clément Bayiha 46’), Rudy Camacho (Victor Cabrera 46’), Zakaria Diallo (Jukka Raitala 46’), Émile Legault^ (Daniel Kinumbe 46’); M-Micheal Azira (Samuel Piette 46’), Ken Krolicki (Shamit Shome 46’), Mathieu Choinière (Saphir Taïder 46’); F-Harry Novillo (Chris Wehan^ 46’), Maximiliano Urruti (Anthony Jackson-Hamel 46’), Ignacio Piatti (David Choinière^ 46’)
Unused subs – Jonathan Sirois, Mikale Fontaine, Amar Sejdic^
*Montreal Impact Academy players
^Player on trial
FCC – G - Przemysław Tytoń, D-Blake Smith (Justin Hoyte 46’), Nick Hagglund (Forrest Lasso 46’), Kendall Waston (Hassan Ndam 46’), Mathieu Deplagne (Alvas Powell 46’), M - Caleb Stanko (Alvas Powell 46’), Allan Cruz (Victor Ulloa 46’), Leonardo Bertone (Nazmi Albadawi 46’), Emery Welshman (Corben Bone 46’), F - Fanendo Adi (Darren Mattocks 46’), Roland Lamah (Emmanuel Ledesma 46’)
GOALS
MTL – Piatti 11’
FCC - Mattocks 49'
CAUTIONS
MTL – Diallo 29’
MTL – Piatti 36’
CIN – Lasso 68’