THE GAME AT A GLANCE
• The team is kicking off a stretch of four straight games on the road, ahead of its home opener slated for Sunday, May 21 at Claude-Robillard Sports Complex in Montreal.
• The Impact started out the 2005 season with a 15-game undefeated streak (10-0-5), a league record, before suffering its first loss on July 29, 2-1 in Atlanta against the Silverbacks.
• Since the team’s debut in 1993, the Impact has a lifetime record of six wins, five losses en one tie in season openers. Last year, the Impact settled for a 1-1 tie against the Puerto Rico Islanders, on April 29.
THE OPPONENT
• This is the very first game in the history of Miami FC, an expansion team.
• Miami FC has picked up three wins in pre-season games: 2-1 against Barueri FC, a second-division team from Sao Paulo, Brazil, March 31; 8-1 against an all-star team of Hispanic players, April 10; and 1-0 against Jamaican and Caribbean champion Portmore United, Sunday, April 16.
• Miami announced last March 30 that the team had signed Brazilian striker Romario, the second-leading goal-scorer in the history of world soccer. Romario has arrived in Miami and was introduced to the media on April 7.
PRE-GAME COMMENTS
• Impact head coach Nick De Santis: “I think it’s going to be a very tough game. This is their first game and they will be pumped up. There will be a great atmosphere with a lot of emotion but that is great for our players as well, because they'll also be highly motivated. We're excited to play. We've been training hard for the last few weeks and we are anxious to play this first game.”
• Captain Mauro Biello: “Overall, we've had a good training camp. This season we have a very solid group of players with new acquisitions that have looked very good during the camp. The new players have integrated the group well so hopefully they will help us all season long. I think we will have a very competitive team.”
• Defender Gabriel Gervais: We are very eager to start. We have been training a lot here in Fort Lauderdale and we are accustomed to the weather. Fitness is up so we will not have any excuses. We expect a very hostile environment and the crowd will definitely be on their side. We will try to get a good start with the win.”
Nick De Santis
Gabriel Gervais
Patrick Leduc
Mauro Biello
NO LONGER WITH THE IMPACT
• Goalkeeper Andrew Olivieri, who became a free agent at the end of the 2005 season, did not sign a new contract with the team. Defender André Hainault came to terms with Siad Most, a Czech first-division club. Midfielder Adrian Cann signed a contract with the Vancouver Whitecaps, while forward Charles Gbeke reached an agreement with the Rochester Raging Rhinos. Forward Eduardo Sebrango was traded to the Vancouver Whitecaps in return for forward Daniel Antoniuk. Midfielder David Di Placido as well as forwards Carlos Garcia and Rachid Madkour were not resigned.
NEW CONTRACTS
• During the off-season, the Impact awarded new contracts to goalkeepers Greg Sutton (3 years) and Gerry Argento (1 year, amateur), defenders Gabriel Gervais (3 years) and David Fronimadis (2 years), midfielders Patrick Leduc (3 years), Antonio Ribeiro, (3 years), Masahiro Fukasawa (2 years) and Mesut Mert (3 years), as well as forwards Mauro Biello (2 years) and Darko Kolic (1 year).
NEGIOTIATING
• As was the case last year at the same time, forward Joel Bailey is presently with his indoor soccer team in the MISL, the Baltimore Blast. He is still negotiating for a new contract with the Impact.
NEWCOMERS
• 11 - Mauricio Salles (F) : Was the third leading goal-scorer last year in the United Soccer Leagues First Division with 14 goals. Was the Puerto Rico Islanders’ leading scorer over the last two seasons.
• 13 - Daniel Antoniuk (F): Was the fourth leading goal-scorer last year in the USL First Division, with 13 goals, and the Portland Timbers’ leading scorer with 28 points. Signed a contract with the Vancouver Whitecaps this winter, before being traded to the Impact in return for Eduardo Sebrango.
• 18 - Leonardo Di Lorenzo (M): This is his first USL season. Played over 70 Division-A games in Argentina.
• 21 - Kirk Wilson (M): Was the Rochester Raging Rhinos’ leading scorer and Team MVP last year, after collecting nine goals and five assists in 1,748 minutes of play. Finished the season fifth in the league for points, goals and assists. Just like Mauro Biello, was a finalist for the 2005 League MVP award.
• 22 - Andrew Weber (G): Last season, the 22-year-old American was the third-string goalkeeper for Major League Soccer’s DC United.
• 24 - Simon Gatti (M): The Impact’s first-round pick in this year’s USL First Division college draft. In 19 games with the Rhode Island Stingrays in the PDL, a division of the USL, scored two goals and picked up one assist
FACTS TO FOLLOW
• Gabriel Gervais, 99 games started with the Impact
• Mauricio Vincello, 47 games started with the Impact
• Darko Kolic, 98 games played with the Impact and 99 points in the USL
• Greg Sutton, 58 shutouts with the Impact
INJURIES
Team Player – Pos. Injury Status
• MTL Kirk Wilson (M) ankle will probably miss the first two games
• MTL Nevio Pizzolitto (D) gastroenteritis day to day
CAMP REPORT
• The Impact won all four of its four pre-season games during training camp, beating the Lac St-Louis Lakers 6-0 and 5-0, the University of Montreal Carabins 2-0 and the UQAM Citadins 1-0.
• Forward Daniel Antoniuk was the team’s leading goal-scorer throughout camp with four goals.
• Goalkeepers Greg Sutton and Andrew Weber shared the workload in three of the four pre-season games. Weber and Gerry Argento played in the game against UQAM.
2005 RECORDS
Home Away Total
Impact 10-1-3 8-2-4 18-3-7
Miami 0-0-0 0-0-0 0-0-0
FORMER PLAYERS
EX-IMPACT PLAYERS WITH MIAMI
• ONANDI LOWE (F) 1996-1998
12G, 6A - 30 PTS in 28 games
EX-MIAMI PLAYERS WITH IMPACT
None
PLAYERS TO WATCH
IMPACT
• MAURO BIELLO (F)Club’s leading scorer in 2005 et 7th in the league (9G, 3A – 21 PTS)
• GREG SUTTON (G)Best GAA in the league in 2005 (0.458) and league leader with 15 shutouts
• THE NEW ACQUISITIONS... especially Mauricio Salles, Daniel Antoniok and Leonardo Di Lorenzo
MIAMI
• ROMARIO (F)959 career goals, 22 last year with Vasco de Gama in Brazil’s 1st division
• ZINHO (F)Won the 1994 World Cup with Brazil
• MARIO RODRIGUEZ (M) Part of Guatemala’s national team
ELSEWHERE IN THE LEAGUE
• Fri. April 21 Atlanta 1 Puerto Rico 3 Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium
• Sun. April 23 Seattle @ Minnesota James Griffin Stadium 4:05 pm
• Sun. April 23 Atlanta @ Porto Rico Paquito Montaner Stadium 5:00 pm
NEXT GAMES
• Sun. April 30 Impact @ Porto Rico Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium 5:00 pm
• Sat. May 13 Impact @ Charleston Blackbaud Stadium 7:30 pm
• Sun. May 14 Impact @ V. Beach Virginia Beach Sportsplex 7:30 pm
• Sun. May 21 Minnesota @ Impact Claude-Robillard Sports Complex 4 :00 pm
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Source: Patrick Vallée, Montreal Impact
Info: 514-328-3668, ext. 27
