The Montreal team is ranked fifth in the USL First Division standings, with 43 points, one point ahead of Rochester. The Rhinos are also playing their last game Friday (8 pm) against Charleston, in Rochester.
“We take this match very seriously because we are playing for a 5th position, mentioned midfielder Patrick Leduc. “We also wish to finish the season on a positive note in order to keep our confidence at the highest level possible. Just as last year prior to our passage in the Champions League, we have a lot of rhythm and lots of energy still, which is encouraging for the upcoming challenges.”
The North Carolina team is second in the USL-1 standings with 52 points, three points behind the Portland Timbers.
In 14 home matches, the RailHawks have only lost twice up to now this season (10-2-2).
Both teams matched up twice in less than 72 hours at Saputo Stadium earlier this season. On August 30, both clubs tied 1-1, and on September 2, the Impact earned a 1-0 win. In the second match, no less than eight cautions were issued. Impact defender Nevio Pizzolitto and RailHawks head coach Martin Rennie were also ejected.
“I’m expecting another physical game against them,” noted midfielder Tony Donatelli, who scored one of the two Impact goals against Carolina this season. “It will be a tough battle featuring two good teams, but we have to be smart about it because nobody wants to be suspended for the first game of the playoffs. It’s a great opportunity to be sharp and ready for the post-season.”
With 43 points, the Impact has surpassed the total number of points obtained last season (42 points, 12-12-6). The Impact has also the best league record in the second half of season (7-3-4), tied with the RailHawks, the Portland Timbers and the Puerto Rico Islanders.
“At the start of the season, we thought that we would be fighting with the top teams in the league but we went through a lot of changes and difficult situations,” analyzed technical director Nick De Santis. “It took us time to adjust but we are one of the best teams in the second half of the season. It’s great to have this positive sequence and it would be even better to end the campaign on a good note in Carolina. A week from the playoffs, the atmosphere in the team is great and injuries are kept to a minimum.”
In its last match, Sunday, a goal from forward Peter Byers at the 85th minute allowed the Impact to tie 1-1 against the Minnesota Thunder. In the previous match, September 9, Byers scored the game-winning goal during stoppage time of the second half, in a 1-0 win against Vancouver.
Peter Byers (red card) and Nevio Pizzolitto (8 cautions) will miss the game due to suspensions, while midfielder David Testo will not be available due to a light groin injury. Testo will end the season with a total of 2,235 minutes of play, a record for the Impact in 2009. It is the first time this season that he misses a match due to an injury.
Forward Eduardo Sebrango, who missed Sunday’s match due to a fracture of a right hand bone, should play in Cary.
Even if the standings are not final yet, the identity of the seven teams that will take part in the playoffs is already known: Portland, Puerto Rico, Carolina, Charleston, Montreal, Rochester and Vancouver.
Tickets for the upcoming playoffs (quarterfinal game only) are now on sale. Tickets are available through Admission (514-790-1245 / 1-800-361-4595 / admission.com), at the Saputo Stadium ticketing office or at 514-328-3668 (group packages only).
OTHER FACTS
• Since being named interim head coach of the Impact, Marc Dos Santos has maintained a 12-7-6 record.
• No less than 11 of the 32 goals scored by the Impact (34%) were scored in the last 20 minutes of the match.
• With one last match to play, forward Roberto Brown is the club’s points leader with seven goals (five game winners) and three assists, for 17 points. He should take the points leader title for a second consecutive season.
• Even if the RailHawks win against the Impact and Portland loses Thursday evening against Cleveland, the Timbers will be crowned season champions, since they hold the advantage in the head-to-head tiebreaker.
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Source : Patrick Vallée, Montreal Impact
Info : 514-328-3668, Ext. 227
