Impact now in San Jose to open season on March 2
Just like that, the Impact’s 2019 training camp has come to an end. For over a month, the players and coaching staff spent almost every living second together eating, training, sleeping and repeating.
And it isn’t over yet. Straight from Florida, the team travelled yesterday to San Jose, where the Bleu-blanc-noir will officially open its 2019 season on Saturday, at 10pm EST, against the Earthquakes (TVA Sports).
Overall, it was a very successful camp. The players, accustomed to what the
first week would look like under fitness coach Robert Duverne
, were physically prepared to suffer during the first few days. Tactically, the team started from much less far away, considering this is head coach Rémi Garde’s second year at the helm. Defensively, the team kicked things off from it where it left them last year,
conceding just one goal in five preseason games.
Individually, we saw a few key breakthroughs. Firstly, striker Maxi Urruti seems to be settling in just fine up top alongside his Argentine compatriot, Nacho Piatti, finding the back of the net twice in preseason. Other newcomer Harry Novillo also scored his first in a Bleu-blanc-noir uniform, and there seems to be chemistry building on the right flank between him and full-back Bacary Sagna. Finally, 20-year old Mathieu Choinière, who signed his first pro contract with the Impact last year, had a pretty good camp, culminating in him scoring this goal with a few minutes left in the final preseason game.
We don’t want to jinx it, but everything seems in place for a positive beginning to the 2019 season. Rémi Garde’s men know how essential a good start will be this year, with eight of the club’s first nine games taking place on the road. But considering the team’s record in preseason, and the team spirit showcased throughout camp, they should be able to kick things off on the right foot.
