ORLANDO, Florida – The Montreal Impact and Sporting KC played to a 1-1 draw, in the team’s second game of the Disney Pro Classic tournament, Sunday, at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, in Orlando, Florida.
The Impact opened the scoring in the 37th minute of play when Andrew Wenger broke down the left flank, from a long pass by defender Shavar Thomas, who was wearing the captain's armband for this game. After beating a KC defender, he played a ball low across the box where forward Mike Fucito fired from 10-yards out into an open net.
Sporting equalized in the 70th minute when forward Soony Sadd got on the end of a cross that came from the right flank, just outside the box. The cross missed its initial target and bounced free, where an outstretched Saad managed to get a toe on it right near the six-yard line, just beating a charging Evan Bush, who had replaced Greg Sutton in net at halftime.
“The team got it going as the game went on and now we are a little bit more into game mode,” said Impact head coach Jesse Marsch. “We were able to get going a little bit and there was more energy and we scored a good goal in that first half. The second half there was a little bit more back and forth and maybe we could have been a little bit sharper to get that second goal, but overall I’m pretty pleased.”
“Andrew Wenger is a big body, very athletic, and I was able to run off of him,” said Fucito. “I was able to find some space and then he made a great cross into the box that led to the goal.”
“It's a faster game for sure and it is definitely rougher," said defender Karl Ouimette, who played all 90 minutes in his first with the Impact. "But the players around you are better as well. You have more options and more support so its just a matter of being able to raise your game to that level."
Sporting KC had a chance in the first half to tie the game when Impact defender Hassoun Camara took down forward Soony Saad in the box. Saad lined up to take the shot in the 40th minute, but fired the ball off the left post and the rebound was cleared by defender Karl Ouimette.
In the 44th minute, Wenger and Fucito hooked up once again down the left side. Wenger cut to the inside and played the ball to Fucito who was stationed right outside the corner of the box. He crossed the ball towards the penalty spot, but a KC defender played the ball out for a corner.
Sporting KC opened the second half with a lot of pressure. In the 52nd minute, KC took a free kick form just outside the box down towards the corner that was curled in off the far post. The rebound was corralled by Soony Saad whose shot was stopped by Bush, diving to his right. KC played a short corner that was curled into the box by Saad from the left side, which was headed just wide by an attacking KC midfielder.
The Impact came close in the 61st minute as midfielder Collen Warner broke forward Andrew Wenger free with a through ball. Wenger fired a shot from just inside the box left side, but the KC goalkeeper dove to his right to make the save.
Game Highlights
Next Game
The Impact now has a record of 4-3-6 in preseason action. The team will play its last game of the group stage on Wednesday, February 29, at 8pm, against Brian Ching and the Houston Dynamo.
The Impact and the Whitecaps will meet on March 10, at BC Place, in Vancouver, as Montreal will play its first ever regular season game in Major League Soccer. The Impact will then play its home opener at Olympic Stadium on March 17, against the Chicago Fire, at 2pm.
Season tickets are available online at impactmontreal.com or by calling 514-328-3668 while individual tickets for the five games presented at Olympic Stadium are available through Admission.
Starting lineups:
Montreal Impact – Greg Sutton (Evan Bush 45); Callum Mallace, Hassoun Camara (Jeb Brovsky 78), Shavar Thomas, Karl Ouimette; Sinisa Ubiparipovic (Gerson Mayen 60), Collen Warner, Bryan Arguez, Andrew Wenger (Andrew Schoenfeld 80); Mike Fucito (Steven Miller 54), Luis Acosta (Justin Braun 71)
Sporting Kansas City – Jon Kempin: Michael Harrington (KevinEllis 64), Cyprian Hedrick, Sacir Hot (Lawrence Olum 45), Korede Aiyegbusi (Shawn Singh 74); Michael Thomas, Konrad Warzycha, Paulo Nagamura (Mozzi Gyorio 62); Jacob Peterson, Soony Saad, Dom Dwyer (Kyle Miller 80)
Goals:
MTL - Mike Fucito (Andrew Wenger) 37
SKC - Soony Saad (Michael Thomas) 70
Cautions:
SKC – Cyprian Hedrick 42
MTL – Calum Mallace 56
