The Impact will try to bounce back following a 2-1 loss against the Carolina RailHawks, last Saturday, at Saputo Stadium.
“We have put the last loss behind us,” said goalkeeper Bill Gaudette, who will be back in the lineup Saturday. “It was not a good team performance in front of our fans. We now have to move on. I know we are going to grow and hopefully we will get the points in Florida. We know that we are going to get back on the right track soon.”
It will already be the third matchup between these teams this season. Montreal is winless so far in 2011 against FC Tampa Bay. In the last matchup, on April 23 at Saputo Stadium, the Impact registered its first point of the season in a 0-0. Montreal had previously lost its first game of the season, 1-0 in St. Petersburg, on a late goal from Tampa midfielder Takuya Yamada at the 87th minute.
The Impact will be looking for its first goal against FC Tampa Bay goalkeeper Daryl Sattler. He is currently tied for the league lead along Gaudette with two shutouts, and second in the NASL with a 0.64 goal-against average, in four games played.
“It will be an important match because we need a win. Three points would change a lot of things in the standings but would also put us back on track,” said Impact head coach Marc Dos Santos. “A win in Tampa Bay could give some wings and move in the right direction. We need to do better against them.”
Impact team captain Nevio Pizzolitto, defender Zurab Tsiskaridze and goalkeeper Bill Gaudette have all made the trip to Florida. Midfielder Hassoun Camara will be playing his second game of the season on Saturday, after missing the last seven matches due to a thigh injury. He played his only game of the season on April 9 in Tampa.
Defender Richard Pelletier will serve his last game of suspension, following incidents that occurred during last year’s playoff semifinals against the Carolina RailHawks. Midfielders Luke Kreamalmeyer (fractured foot) and Idriss Ech Chergui (ankle sprained) will also be out of the lineup for approximately two weeks due to injuries.
Tampa is just in front of the Impact in the standings, sitting in sixth place in the NASL with a record of one win, two losses and three ties for six points. The Floridian team hasn’t won a game since playing the Impact on the opening game of the season on April 9.
In their last NASL game, on May 11, FCTB tied FC Edmonton 1-1, in Florida. Ricky Hill’s team has not played since, with last Saturday’s matchup against the Fort Lauderdale Strikers being cancelled due to inclement weather.
The Impact plays its next two games in Florida, before hosting FC Edmonton at Saputo Stadium on June 4, at 2:30pm (Radio-Canada, CKAC Sports, THE TEAM 990, radio-canada.ca/sports). Tickets for this game are still available through Admission Network (admission.com / 514-790-1245) or at the ticketing office of the Saputo Stadium.
OTHER FACTS
• The Impact has a winning record of five wins, two losses and one tie (13GF-7GA) in eight games against Tampa Bay, including the 1993 season and since Tampa’s return in 2010.
• The Impact is tied with Tampa Bay & Puerto Rico for the league lead in goals against average with 1.00.
• Antonio Ribeiro’s next game will be his 136th with the Impact, joining Eduardo Sebrango for 10th place on the Impact All-Time list.
• Philippe Billy is the only Impact to have played every minute (450) of every game so far this season
THREE NEXT GAMES
• Saturday, May 28 – IMPACT @ Fort Lauderdale Strikers – Lockhart Stadium – 7:30pm
• Saturday, June 4 – FC Edmonton @ IMPACT – Saputo Stadium – 7:30pm
• Wednesday, June 8 – IMPACT @ Atlanta Silverbacks – Atlanta Silverbacks Park – 7:30pm
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