With two regular season matches left to play, the Montreal Impact clinched a playoff spot Wednesday for the 9th consecutive season, following a 4-2 loss by St. Louis versus Miami FC.
The Impact is currently in 6th place in the league standings with 37 points, tied with the Minnesota Stars (29GP) and four points behind the Carolina RailHawks (28GP).
"We need to take advantage of our last two matches in order to maintain rhythm to our game," said Impact head coach Marc Dos Santos. "We have to take advantage of these games to ensure everything is in place for the playoffs."
The Impact has won four of its last five games. During this sequence, the team has allowed only three goals, while scoring 13 over that span.
"I think our success recently has a lot to do with the work of all players in this team," added Dos Santos. "Everyone is working together in the same direction and I feel there is a positive atmosphere in the dressing room."
This will be the 6th game between these two clubs this season; the 4th in regular season play. The Impact is still looking for its first win against Vancouver in 2010 (0-2-3).
The last meeting, on July 28 at Saputo Stadium, ended in a 1-0 loss following a goal by the Whitecaps’ Greg Janicki in the 88th minute of play. Vancouver had also scored a last minute goal in the previous game against Montreal, on June 30, when Luca Bellisomo hit the back of the net in the 90th minute to secure a 2-1 victory.
"The two clubs want to win, but as it is a strong rivalry, both teams have a lot of respect for each other,” noted Dos Santos. “Every game against Vancouver was a tight one this season."
Vancouver has allowed only 19 goals in 28 league matches this season and sits in first place in the league in this category. But head coach Teitur Thordarson’s squad has not been victorious in its last four games at home (0-3-1). Their last win at Swangard Stadium came on July 14 against the Miami FC.
Impact defender Simon Gatti (sports hernia), as well as midfielders Filipe Soares (knee) and Pierre-Rudoph Mayard (toe) have not traveled with the team to Vancouver due to injuries. Forward Reda Agourram and midfielder Patrick Leduc have been scratched for the game as well.
Impact goalkeeper Matt Jordan’s next game will be the 80th of his career with the Impact. As a result, he will also tie Paolo Ceccarelli for second place on the club’s all-time games played mark for goalkeepers.
Team captain Nevio Pizzolitto is 23 minutes away from reaching the 2,000 minutes played plateau this season, and could reach that mark for the 5th time in his career after realizing the feat in 1998, 2000, 2003, and 2005. Philippe Billy, Tony Donatelli and Hicham Aaboubou have also reached the 2,000 mark this season.
The Impact will conclude its regular season on October 3 against the Austin Aztex, at Saputo Stadium. Tickets are still available through the Admission network (514-790-1245 / 1-800-361-4595 / admission.com) or the Saputo Stadium ticket office.
OTHER FACTS
• The Rochester Rhinos, the Austin Aztex, the Vancouver Whitecaps, the Portland Timbers, the Carolina RailHawks, the Montreal Impact, the Puerto Rico Islanders and the Minnesota Stars have all clinched a playoff spot.
• Forward Ali Gerba has accumulated 19 points, nine goals and one assist, in his last five games. In the Impact’s last game, he became the 5th Impact player to score 20 goals all-time in the regular season in club history, following Mauro Biello (72), Eduardo Sebrango (44), Lloyd Barker (34), and Nick De Santis (21). He could also tie De Santis’ record of six consecutive games with at least one point.
• Defender Stephen deRoux will not make a return this season. The Jamaican-born player has been sidelined since July 14 following a fracture to his cheek bone and then a delay in renewing his working visa in the United States (Green Card). His contract is up at the end of the season, but the Impact has not closed the door on re-signing the 26-year-old next year.
• Eduardo Sebrango has accumulated 98 points in his career with the Impact. One more point will put him in a tie with Lloyd Barker for second place all-time with the club.
• Tony Donatelli and Philippe Billy have played every game this season for the Impact (28). Donatelli has also played in the last 45 straight games.
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Source : Patrick Vallée, Montreal Impact
Info : 514-328-3668 (ext. 227)
