Sep 16 Montreal Impact Dominates Joe Public and Takes 1st Game of CONCACAF Group Phase 2-0

The Montreal Impact played its first game in the CONCACAF Champions League group stage against the Trinidad & Tobago champion team, Joe Public FC, at Saputo Stadium tonight. Joe Public FC qualified in the group of 24 clubs of the CONCACAF Champions League after finishing second in the 2007 Caribbean Club Championships, behind Harbour View FC of Jamaica and soundly defeated the New England Revolution 6-1 on aggregate goals.

Knowing their opponents were not a team to be dismissed, the Impact were ready with most players healthy and ready to answer the call and in the end, their depth, discipline, control and rested players prevailed with a 2-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago.

Lets first clarify what the group stage is all about. The group stage consists of four groups of four. All the teams in each group will play each other in a round-robin system during six dates (three home games and three away games). The Impact is in group C, and joined the two seeded teams Atlante FC
(Mexico) and CD Olimpia (Honduras), as well as Joe Public FC (Trinidad & Tobago) who they are playing tonight.

You will remember, the Impact had to win the Voyageur's Cup in the Nutrilite Championship, beating out the Vancouver Whitecaps, also of the USL, and Toronto FC of the MLS, making them the first Canadian team to qualify for the CONCACAF. In the preliminary stage, the Impact also disposed of Real Esteli FC of Nicaragua to advance to this group stage. In other words, Your Montreal Impact are at present time, one of the top 16 soccer teams in "The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football" , or CONCACAF .

All caught up? Now for the game.

The first half was executed as per coach Limniatis' plans "We will also try to match their physical presence with our own physical game, keep the ball and limit their counterattacks.”  And limit them they did. the only time Impact 'keeper Matt Jordan was really tested was at the 25th minute when he made a purely instinctive save when a Joe Public corner kick was headed in his direction only a few yards away, inside the box. This was not before the Impact, at the 14th minute, made it 1-0 to start the contest. After a misqueue by Joe public 'keeper Alejandro Figueroa, who looked rather shaky all game, and was forced to race out of the 18 yard box to punt a ball out of play, the Impact converted the quick throw in which resulted in defender Stefano Pesoli scissor kicking the loose ball in the box past Figueroa for his 1st of the championships.

The defense was also on pace to set the tone for Joe Public, with Pesoli Adam Braz and Nevio Pizzolitto holding down the back end, with Pizzolitto making more than one slide checks to successfully take the ball away from any Joe Public forward who threatened to advance towards Jordan. Matt Jordan also was solid on the few sparse chances that Trinidad and Tobago managed to get on goal.

Joe Public appeared to not be taking well to the rather cold, wet climate that met them tonight as every player came out onto the pitch wearing mitts. The half would end 1-0 and the Impact would head into the dressing room knowing their record when they lead after the half : 8-0. Joe Public, most likely text messaged CONCACAF officials asking if toques were considered acceptable gear.

The second half could not have helped Joe Public's comeback attempt, if they did speak of one when it took less than 2 minutes into the second half as Felix Brillant chased down a passed ball that looked almost impossible to catch, so thought the Joe Public defender, however, Brillant motored along, caught up to the ball and crossed it to Tony Donatelli in the box, who had enough time to stop it before he punted the ball that had caromed off the lone defender and sent it past Figueroa who had no chance on the play. Donatelli also getting his first of the championships. Matt Jordan was true to form, in the effort to add to his shut-out tally in these playoffs as he made a great toe save off Gregory Richardson who was allowed to streak in and take a sharp boot towards Jordan after a give-away by Joey Gjertsen at midfield. Jordan came up big yet again in the 84th minute with a sprawling hand save off a Keyeno Thomas bender as Joe Public went for broke and poured it on in the late stages.

Unfortunately, however, for Joe Public, Jordan was having nothing to do with any  kind of comeback, stopping anything within his ample reach. The Impact win their first game of the CONCACAF champions league group phase and the 7000+ fans that braved the elements including the amazing fans in section 114 who are the Impact booster club, chanting all game long, left Saputo Stadium glad that they did after witnessing a complete Impact domination of Trinidad and Tobago.   

NEXT GAMES (in the USL)
• Saturday, September 20 – IMPACT @ Minnesota – 8 pm 
• Sunday, September 21 – Puerto Rico @ IMPACT – 7:30 pm 
-End of the regular season-

NOTES:

- Midfielder David Testo missed this game due to a one-game suspension.

- Impact 'keeper Matt Jordan, thus far in these championship games has recorded 2 shut-outs on 4 games during the Nutrilite Championship and stonewalled Real Estelli in both games during the Preliminary round of the CONCACAF and one more tonight for a total of 5.

- Both Mauro Biello and Rocco Placentino, healing lengthy injuries of late, saw some pitch time as they came in as substitutions in the second half.

- It is still possible to purchase excellent tickets for future CONCACAF games by calling 514-328-3668 or through Admission at 514-790-1245

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