Following two days of rest, the Impact players took to the pitch on Wednesday morning at the Marie-Victorin Sports Complex. Impact head coach Jesse Marsch held a 90 minute practice that concluded with an intense running session.
Marsch said he was satisfied with his team’s performance in Mexico and he now looks forward to the camp in California, which will begin next week.
“In Mexico, we got to see how players performed in certain situations and how they fit into the team,” he said. “In California, we will be tested by MLS competition. We want to build on the positive elements that we’ve developed so far. Our objective is to focus on the more important aspects of the game and to progress as a group in order to be ready to take the field for our first game on March 10.”
Midfielder Patrice Bernier has seen an increase in the team’s pace as they got back on the field in Montreal. “The tempo is much higher this morning. We are starting to generate the rhythm we hope to have once the season starts.”
Defender Zarek Valentin joined the team for his first on-field session, following a stint with the U23 U.S. National Team. “I felt that the level of play was quite high today,” he said. “It’s a bonus that we have a very diverse group of players here.”
Forward Justin Braun, who scored the team’s first goal of the preseason, was pleased to have had the chance to get to know his teammates better. “The Mexico trip was good for us,” he said. “The results show that we’ve made some progress. Now, it will be a good test for us to play against MLS teams in California. I hope to continue to show the coaches what I can do.”
As for his move to Montreal, the Salt Lake native says he is looking forward to discovering the city. “I’m hoping to get out and visit some of the sites soon. This city has an aura about it that I haven’t experienced in other cities before.”
Invited players
Defenders Nevio Pizzolitto, Simon Gatti, as well as strikers Eduardo Sebrango and Mircea Ilcu have been invited to take part in the California tour of training camp. Forward Reda Agourram has not been retained by the team.
