The Montreal team tied 1-1 in Montreal against the Toronto Lynx, last Sunday, as well as in Edmonton against the Aviators, on June 15.
"The reality is that in the A-League, teams will not give you any points, especially a team like Syracuse, which is fighting for a spot in the playoffs," said Impact head coach Nick DeSantis.
The Impact nonetheless remained the A-League’s only unbeaten team this season, as it extended its club-record undefeated streak to 12 games (8-0-4). Montreal also remained unbeaten lifetime against the Salty Dogs (3-0-2), who are into their second season in the A-League.
In the first of a series of seven consecutive games against Eastern Conference opponents, of which five will be played on the road, the Impact was able to join the Atlanta Silverbacks in second place in the standings, three points behind the first-place Rochester Rhinos. DeSantis’ men have one game in hand over those two teams.
"We’ll take the point, but when you come into a game like this, where it gets very physical and scrappy, and get some clear-cut chances, you have to put them away," added DeSantis. "If we had scored when we had the chance, it would have turned the game around."
The Montreal players had their best scoring chance of the first half at the 30th minute of play. Sandro Grande’s free kick, from 40 yards out, hit the right post. Fred Commodore pounced on the rebound at the goal mouth, but his low shot was stopped thanks to a diving save by Syracuse goalkeeper Paul Nagy. At the 80th, Joel Bailey made a run on the left wing, but his low shot was blocked by Nagy.
Into the 4th minute of overtime, Antonio Ribeiro broke away with a defender in pursuit, but Nagy’s quick reaction with the left arm, from close in, deprived him of the game-winning goal.
Goalkeeper Greg Sutton picked up his ninth shutout this season. He is only two away from is personal best of 11, which he established last year. The club record of 13 shutouts in a season was set in 1996 by Paolo Ceccarelli.
Sutton nonetheless added a record to his collection by playing his 81st career game in a Montreal uniform. He therefore erased Ceccarelli’s old record of 80 games.
The Impact will play its next two games on the road, in Virginia Beach against the Mariners, Friday (7:30 pm), and then in Richmond against the Kickers, Saturday (7:00 pm). The team’s next home game will be on Wednesday, July 7, as the Rochester Rhinos will be the visitors at Claude Robillard Stadium (7:30 pm).
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SOURCE:
bcomm
INFO:
Stéphane Banfi
514-328-3668 (ext. 27)
