CONTEXT
> The Impact hosts the Toronto Lynx on Friday, Montreal’s 8th game of the season.
> After seven games played, the Impact has yet to be defeated (4-0-3).
> Last Sunday, the Impact tied the Rochester Raging Rhinos 0-0 in the official home opener at the Claude-Robillard Sports Complex, in front of 12 086 spectators, a record crowd for home openers in Montreal and the second largest crowd in team history.
> The Impact is undefeated in seven consecutive games. Montreal’s longest undefeated streak is 12 games. The Impact went 8-0-4 last season in their first 12 games.
> Goalkeeper Greg Sutton has earned five shutouts in seven starts this season. The 0-0 tie last Sunday represented his 48th career shutout with the Impact (regular season). Last year, Sutton finished with 16 shutouts, a team record.
IMPACT VS LYNX
> Since 1993, the Impact has a record of 22-12-3 against Toronto.
> Montreal blanked the Lynx in their first meeting this season 1-0 on May 15th, at Centennial Stadium. Kevin Wilson scored the lone goal in the 50th minute, on a header. Mauro Biello had the assist.
> Many players from both teams have played for their rivals at one time. Striker Ali Gerba will play his first game against his former team, since being traded to Montreal on May 19th in exchange for defender Abraham François and forward Sita-Taty Matondo. Defender Mauricio Vincello was with the Lynx from 2000-2003. Last year, he scored two goals against his former team. Impact assistant coach Peter Pinizzotto coached the Lynx, while Lloyd Barker, also an assistant in Montreal, played for the Lynx in 1999 and 2000.
> In Toronto, aside from François and Matondo, former members of the Montreal Impact include young defender Andres Arrango, who was traded to Toronto for Vincello, veteran defender Carl Fletcher and Montreal native Josué Mayard. Toronto head coach Hubert “Junior” Busby and his assistant Lyndon Hooper were also members of the Impact.
COMMENTS
> Ali Gerba: " It will be a special game for me, facing my former team mates. I will prepare for the game just like any other. My objective is to play well and to score if I have chances. It will be a physical game with a lot of intensity because the Lynx will want to beat us at home. In the last game, while I was playing for the Lynx, we didn’t like to be shutout in front of our fans. Even if Toronto doesn’t have a good record, we will have to be cautious because they have many talented players that I know very well."
> Greg Sutton: "Everything seems to be positive for us this season. Defensively, we are impeccable. Once again this season, we are doing the little things on defense that led us to the championship last year. When you play like that it's always easier to get the wins. And I have to say that players in front of me are doing a great job. We have been playing together for a couple seasons and we developed a good relationship. We know our weaknesses so we are counting on each other, which help us to be the best defense in the league. But against Toronto we never know what to expect. They are always dangerous and they can play a good game anytime."
NOTES
> Defender Nevio Pizzolitto was selected to the USL D1 Team of the Week. Pizzolitto played a solid game defensively in the Impact’s home opener, a 0-0 tie against Rochester last Sunday.
> Defender Gabriel Gervais has recovered from a bruised thigh he suffered in Rochester on May 21st, and will be available for Friday’s game.
> Midfielder Sandro Grande, who is suffering from a groin injury, is expected to be back for the next home game against Charleston, June 22nd.
> David Fronimadis and Jason Di Tullio are now training with the team. The two defenders have been out of action since the beginning of the season, after suffering serious knee injuries last year.
> Team Canada head coach Frank Yallop named his roster for the upcoming training camp to be held in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, from June 4-9. Six Impact players were selected to the team: goalkeeper Andrew Olivieri, defenders Adam Braz and Gabriel Gervais, midfielders Mesut Mert and Patrick Leduc and forward Ali Gerba.
> The Vachon Public Practices are back. The Montreal Impact will be in training in different parts of the city and province throughout the summer, starting with a public practice which will be held Tuesday, June 7th, at 7:00 pm, at Concordia’s Loyola Campus in NDG. The Impact will also be in Vaudreuil-Dorion (June 13 at 7 pm), in Blainville (July 9 at 11 am), in St-Hyacinthe (July 12 at 7 pm), in La Prairie (August 3 at 7 pm) and in the Lanaudière region (August 23 at 7 pm).
> The registration day for the Montreal Impact - Réno-Dépôt Soccer Schools will take place: Saturday, June 4th, from 11 am to 2 pm at the Réno-Dépôt store in Anjou, located at 10 200 Renaude-Lapointe. Impact players and school directors Patrick Leduc and Darko Kolic will be on hand to meet the young players. There will also be skills demonstrations, autograph signings and giveaways.
NEXT GAME
The Impact will host the Charleston Battery at 7:30 pm on June 22nd at Claude-Robillard Sports Complex. Until then, Montreal will play two exhibition games against the Vermont Voltage of the Premier Development League of the USL. The first of the home-and-away series will be held at the Catalogna Soccerplexe in Lachine on June 8th. Game time is 11 am.
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Source: Patrick Vallée
Info: 514-328-3668 (ext. 27)
