CONTEXT
> The Impact is playing its 12th game of the season on Wednesday, July 6, against the Richmond Kickers.
> The Impact remains undefeated (7-0-4) in 11 games, and is one win or draw away from tying the club record for most consecutive games without a loss. Montreal played 12 games without a loss (8-0-4) at the beginning of last year.
> The Impact beat the Seattle Sounders 3-1 on Sunday, in front of 11,796 spectators at the Claude-Robillard Sports Complex.
> Impact striker Ali Gerba made an emergency return to the line-up from national team duty after Eduardo Sebrango was lost to injury. He responded by scoring two goals (7th and 45th minutes). Darko Kolic completed the scoring in the 90th minute, converting a pass from ZĂ© Roberto.
> Since joining the Impact on May 19 in a trade with the Toronto Lynx, Gerba has become the Impact’s leading scorer with seven goals, five in a Montreal uniform. He is fifth in league scoring with 14 points.
> Goalkeeper Andrew Olivieri won his second game in as many starts.
> The win against Seattle allowed the Impact to move into second place in the United Soccer Leagues First Division standings, with 25 points, tied with the Rochester Rhinos and four points behind the Richmond Kickers. The Impact has four more games left to play than the Kickers, and three more than the Rhinos.
IMPACT VS KICKERS
> Since the Kickers’ inaugural season in 1997, the Impact has an all-time record of 6-4-2 against Richmond.
> This is the second meeting between these two teams this season. The first game ended in a scoreless draw back on May 8 at the University of Richmond Stadium. The Impact was then playing its second road game in as many nights.
> Last year, the Impact beat the Kickers 2-0 on June 6 at the Claude-Robillard Sports Complex, but lost 2-1 in Richmond on July 3, and 2-0 in Montreal on August 29.
> The Kickers sit atop the First Division standings with 29 points in 15 games.
> In their last game, July 2, they ended a winless streak of four games with a 1-0 win against the Puerto Rico Islanders. Robert Ssejjemba scored the game-winning goal on a penalty kick at the 47th minute.
NOTES
> Striker Ali Gerba was named Player of the Week in the United Soccer Leagues First Division for a second time this season. Gerba, who joined the Impact on May 19, scored twice in a 3-1 win against the Seattle Sounders on July 3. He had also scored two goals in his first game with Montreal on May 21 against the Rhinos in Rochester.
> Striker Eduardo Sebrango will not be available for tonight’s game. He broke a bone in his right foot, last Thursday, in the Impact’s 1-0 win against the Timbers in Portland. He missed Sunday’s game against the Seattle Sounders and will be out of the line-up for approximately six weeks.
> Defender David Fronimadis played his first game of the season. He had not played since an exhibition game against Haiti on May 23, 2004, where he suffered a knee injury that kept him out of the lineup for the rest of the season.
> Midfielder Mike Kolinski and attacker Doco Wesseh of the Thunder Bay Chill, a club in the Premier Development League of the USL, have been loaned to the Impact for two games in order to fill the roster in the absences of the six Impact players who are presently with the Canadian national team at the Gold Cup Tournament.
> Six Montreal Impact players were invited to the Canadian national team’s training camp for the upcoming Gold Cup Tournament, the CONCACAF championship, which will take place from July 6-24, in the United States.
> Saturday, Canada lost 2-1 against Honduras in an exhibition match in Vancouver.
> All six Impact players played in the game. Goalkeeper Greg Sutton, defenders Gabriel Gervais and Adam Braz, and midfielder Sandro Grande were on the starting eleven. Midfielder Patrick Leduc and forward Ali Gerba entered the game in the second half.
> Nevio Pizzolitto remains with the Impact for now, but could be called up in case of injury.
> In Group B, Canada will play Costa Rica (July 7), the USA (July 9) and Cuba (July 12).
COMMENTS
Impact head coach Nick De Santis: "Even if seven of our starting players will once again be out of the line-up, we want to get a positive result at home. We expect a tough opposition from the Kickers even if they have had some difficulties in their last games. They are coming here to win and to stay on top of the standings. We will have to dictate the pace of the game like we did against the Sounders. We scored seven goals in our last two games so we have some confidence. I have confidence in all the players on this team. It will be time for another player to step up."
Jason Di Tullio: "It will be a good challenge for us. After solid games against Portland and Seattle, we have to continue to play well against the Kickers. They are a very good team and we are anxious to face them. On a personal note, I'm happy to be back on the field. I am getting my confidence back and finding my timing."
NEXT GAME
> The Impact will play its next game in Minnesota, on Friday, July 15 against the Thunder at James Griffin Stadium (8 pm RDS, FOX).
> Montreal will then play a two-game series against the Toronto Lynx, Friday, July 22 in Toronto (7:30 pm), and Sunday, July 24 at Claude-Robillard Sports Complex (4 pm, CJAD, CKAC).
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Source: Patrick Vallée
Info: 514-328-3668 (ext. 27)
