Two goals in the first half from Gabriel Balbinotti and Giovanni Pulitano propelled the Impact U18 to a 2-1 win over the Concordia Stingers, on Sunday afternoon at the Stinger Dome.
The Bleu-blanc-noir quickly took the lead in the game. In the 6th minute, midfielder Mathieu Choinière recovered the ball in his area before passing to Balbinotti in a quick counter-attacking move. The Impact forward ran past the opposing defender and scored on a low shot.
In the 32nd minute, head coach Yoann Damet’s team added a second goal. After a missed opportunity, Balbinotti recovered the ball in the box and passed to Pulitano who didn’t miss his chance to make it 2-0.
The second half was slightly more complicated for the Impact. Despite a few good chances, the team had a hard time finding the same rhythm as in the first half.
“We tried a new formation for the second part of the season and we are still adapting to it,” said defender Raphaël Garcia. “We slowed down in the second half, maybe due to a lack of concentration or difficulties in the defensive transition. We want to learn, to progress and get back in shape quickly for the second part of the season.”
In stoppage time, Concordia took advantage of a foul in the box to score on a penalty and break the Impact U18’s clean sheet.
“We created some chances that helped us take a quick lead,” said Impact U18 head coach Yoann Damet. “The links between the defenders and the midfielders were lacking. The players are still looking for their bearings. We’re in a period where we come back to play, so the players also have their part to do in the preparation off the field. It will be important if they want to perform when the season resumes.”
The Impact U18 will play its next game on Sunday, February 5, at 3:30pm, against the Université Laval Rouge et Or, at Stade Telus, in Quebec City. Laval won their first two games 6-0 against Université Sherbrooke and 2-1 against McGill University.
