Jun 03 Montreal Impact Go Scoreless Again But Salvage a Point Against Miami FC

The Montreal Impact faced off against a team they have had little problem beating since they have been playing each other. Their lifetime record against Miami FRC, a short one but a record none the less, is 3-0-3 including a win on April 19th, one of Montreal's only 2 wins so far this season. If the Impact could take solace in one thing this evening, it was that Miami, to date, has let in a league high 15 goals this season. Would tonight be the night the Impact scored a goal on home turf? Not just yet my friends..

Going into tonight's game, Miami in 8th place ahead of Montreal (9th) by 2 points but with 3 more games played than the Impact. The Impact had a slightly new look to their roster tonight after releasing forward Dwight Barnett and defender Luis Aguilar and at the same time bringing up three players from its reserve team, the Trois Rivières Attak; forward Nicolas Lesage, midfielder Hector "Nacho" Contreras and defender Davy Uwimana.

To take a gem out of my cliché handbook, the Impact came out like gangbusters at the beginning of the 1st half as Montreal's feel good story Rocco Placentino forced Miami goalkeep Josh Saunders to make a good save only 43 seconds in. Moments later Placentino had Stade Saputo fans cheering if only for a few seconds, thinking that the impact had scored its first goal in Montreal this year, but it was not to be as Placentino kicked it hard and just wide of the goal as it hit the protective netting behind goalkeeper Saunders. Once again Montreal dominated the half against its opponent with opportunity after opportunity, including, at the 30:37 mark when again, Placentino's shot was initially blocked by a Miami defender, but Rocco picked up the rebound and crossed to a streaking Mauro Biello who, were it not for Saunders' fingertips, would have scored his first goal at Stade Saputo. Matt Jordan, who has kept his team in every game this season, was barely tested until the 35 minute mark when a bounce in Miami's favour saw the ball between a Miami striker and Matt Jordan. Jordan hesitated at first but eventually beat the Miami forward to the ball outside the 18 yard line to with a sliding kick to get the ball out of harm's way. The half ended as 4 of the last 5 Impact games, tied at zero.

The 2nd half picked up where the 1st left off. Within one minute of the touch, the Impact came close yet again but hesitation on the part of the Montreal attackers not rushing the goal and missing a fumbled ball by Josh Saunders who recuperated shortly thereafter. Moments later, in what was heating up to be a no holds barred half, Matt Jordan had to be super sharp, and was, in order to punch a Ricardo Cavalcante ripper, complete with extra mustard, just over the crossbar.

At the 65 minute mark, coach De Santis replaces Captain Mauro Biello, who played a decent game till that point with fresh legged Sita-Taty Matondo and shortly thereafter, perhaps in a surprise move, Charles Gbeke is replaced for former Trois Rivieres Attak player Nicolas Lesage. Gbeke, who seemed rather tentative while in possession of the ball had not played the greatest Montreal has seen him play in the past.

I failed to mention that Miami FC had been floundering all over the pitch as soon as an Impact player got within kicking distance and although it appeared obvious to us in the press box, it did not seem to alert the referees as they handed out many penalty kicks as well as yellow cards, including two to Impact defender Stefano Pesoli as well as a red, ejecting him from the game and leaving the Impact down a man for the remainder of the game. At this point, the Impact was no longer hoping to score a goal, but to escape with a 0-0 tie and salvage a point. In the end, and much to the dismay of fan and player alike, this is how the game ended.

So here's the breakdown, the Impact has not scored a goal since Roberto Brown was last in the line-up. That would be 457 game minutes (547 if you include the Toronto FC game), or as another journalist shot out, "25 days since they last scored."

During on field interviews, players and coach alike were mystified and perturbed at the predicament they found themselves in. All answers to questions regarding the scoring drought were met with defiance and optimism as no one wanted to be the first to say there was a problem and that with all the opportunities they were getting, the goals would come.

Now, on to Charleston for another real test, as the Impact will go head to head against the number 2 Battery on June 7th. Maybe a change of scenery will do the Impact some good as they will play a home and away tandem, coming back to Montreal to face the Battery on June 13th. Yes, Friday the 13th.

Tags: again \ against \ but \ miami FC \ montreal \ Montreal Impact \ point \ salvage \ scoreless \ soccer \ USL