Impact Loses 1-0 against Dynamo in Houston The Montreal Impact fell to the Houston Dynamo 1-0 on Friday night at the BBVA Compass Stadium. As a result, the Dynamo move into third spot in the Eastern Conference, one point ahead of Montreal, but the Impact have one game in hand and are still in the middle of the playoff race. Houston opened the scoring in the 6th minute when Giles Barnes played a one-touch to Ricardo Clark with his chest. From the top of the box, the former US international cut to the right using the outside of his foot before curling one inside the left post past Impact keeper Troy Perkins. In first-half stoppage time, Felipe found some space down the heart of midfield, dribbling through the middle before firing a long distance blast that was punched away by Dynamo keeper Tally Hall. In the 51st minute, Impact goalkeeper Troy Perkins made the first of two big stops to keep the Impact in the game. Will Bruin was played though into the box to the right of Perkins, but the Impact keeper managed to kick out a leg to stop his shot from in close. Second-half sub Andrew Wenger, who replaced Marco Di Vaio in the 62nd minute, came close to bringing things level in the 71st minute. Midfielder Andres Romero played a long ball from the defensive side of midfield that found Wenger on the run. Alone with the goalkeeper, Wenger brought the ball down before attempting a low shot to Hall's right, but the Dynamo backstop managed to get a hand on it as he came charging out. Midfielder Patrice Bernier missed his first game since June 30, 2012, due to a hip injury, ending a streak of 45 consecutive appearances in MLS. As a result, Academy midfielder Zakaria Messoudi was named to the 18-man roster for the first time since signing with the pro team. Hassoun Camara was shown a yellow card in the first half and will miss the Impact's next game as a result of yellow card accumulation.
Re: Impact Loses 1-0 against Dynamo in Houston Back with the team Midfielder declares himself fully fit on Tuesday morning MONTREAL – This Saturday’s game against the New England Revolution is “a playoff game before the playoffs,” say the Montreal Impact. Good thing there’s welcome news on the injury front, then. While uncertainties still surround the fitness of Alessandro Nesta (adductor), Patrice Bernier (hip) and Marco Di Vaio (ankle), midfielder Hernan Bernardello declared himself fully fit on Tuesday morning. Signed on July 23, 2013, the Impact’s second-ever Designated Player got injured during his fourth career MLS game, on August 31 in Philadelphia, when Union midfielder Danny Cruz inadvertedly stepped on his left ankle. Bernardello’s comeback occurs according to schedule, as he was expected to miss four to six weeks. “I feel good,” Bernardello said, in Spanish, on Tuesday. “I was able to work on healing my ankle this past month that I’ve been injured, and it’s now up to the coach [for Saturday].” http://www.impactmontreal.com/en/news/2013/10/hernan-bernardello-glad-be-back-team
Re: Impact Loses 1-0 against Dynamo in Houston Marco Di Vaio will return with the Impact in 2014 Italian forward has agreed to return with the club for the next season MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact announced on Tuesday that the club will exercise its contract option on Designated Player Marco Di Vaio and that the Italian forward has agreed to return with the club in 2014. “I am very pleased to be back with the Impact in 2014,” said Di Vaio. “After discussions with my family, it was clear that I wanted to keep playing and I am happy to be in Montreal for another season.” “We are extremely pleased that Marco decided to stay with us,” declared Impact president Joey Saputo. “He is a player that has lived up to the expectations we had when we brought him in as our first ever Designated Player.” In his second season in MLS, Di Vaio currently leads the league in goal scoring with 19 in 30 games played, 28 as a starter, for a total of 2,476 minutes. He also tops the league in shots on goal and is tied for second with five game-winning markers. Di Vaio, who has four multiple goal games this season, is one of just six players to have recorded a hat trick this season, on May 25 against the Philadelphia Union. http://www.reddit.com/tb/1oj240
Re: Impact Loses 1-0 against Dynamo in Houston Take a bow, Karl! Karl W. Ouimette scores the winning goal in the 84th minute! http://www.impactmontreal.com/en/ne...w-ouimette-scores-winner-against-philadelphia
Impact Closes in on Playoff Spot with 2-1 Win Versus Philadelphia The Montreal Impact came back from a 1-0 deficit to beat the Philadelphia Union 2-1, Saturday afternoon, at Stade Saputo, in what was the team's final regular season home game of the 2013 season. With the win, the Impact moves into third place in the Eastern Conference at 49 points and is now closer to a playoff spot, with the New England Revolution (45 pts - vs Columbus), Houston Dynamo (48pts - vs NYRB) and the Chicago Fire (46pts - vs TFC) yet to play this weekend. Impact Designated Player Marco Di Vaio scored his league leading 20th goal in the win, becoming just the 11th player in MLS history to hit the 20-goal plateau in a single season, regaining the lead in the race for the golden boot. Academy product Karl W. Ouimette scored his first career goal in MLS - the game-winner late in the second half. The Union opened the scoring in the 30th minute on a counter attack. Brazilian midfielder Kleberson played a through ball in behind the Impact defence that found Fabinho, who hammered the ball top corner from a tough angle that beat Impact keeper Troy Perkins. The Impact found the equalizer in the 64th minute. Midfielder Felipe corralled a ball about 35 yards out from goal before playing midfielder Davy Arnaud down the left flank. The Impact captain took one touch into the box before finding Di Vaio back to goal. The Impact striker laid the ball off past the defender and spun around before firing on past goalkeeper Zac MacMath to his left. The Impact scored the game winner in the 84the minute when midfielder Justin Mapp played a free-kick into the box from deep down the right flank towards the far post that found Academy product Karl W. Ouimette. The defender jumped in the air and hammered a header home to score the Impact's 50th goal of the season. Post-game comments "At half time, we discussed how we felt that we wanted to win, but wanting wasn't enough," said Impact head coach Marco Schällibaum. "I told the guys that I believe in them. After such a difficult week and some tough results, it's a great moment and I'm very proud of the guys." "Coming into the game, I felt that the coaching staff had confidence in me," said defender Karl W. Ouimette. "They asked me to play a position that I never played before in a game. I didn't sleep last night but was hoping to score a big goal for the team. It was an incredible feeling." "I am so happy to finally score again and help the team move up in the standings," said Marco Di Vaio. "We've had a tough stretch of five or six games, and to come out the way we did in the second half, after being a goal down, we showed character." Other highlights In the 6th minute, Mapp played a lateral pass into the box that found Di Vaio, but his one-timer rolled just wide right of goal. The Union hit the crossbar in the 24th minute, when a corner kick found Conor Casey short post. Then in the 40th minute, a free-kick into the box by Hernán Bernardello found Hassoun Camara, but the defender's header went wide left of goal. Down a goal, Impact head coach Marco Schällibaum brought on a second striker in the 54th minute looking for some offence. Andrew Wenger came on, changing the formation from a 4-2-3-1 to a 4-4-2. Di Vaio and Arnaud almost hooked up for a second when the captain played a cross into the box. The Italian slid to get a touch, but the ball sailed over goal in the 67th minute. Four minutes later, Di Vaio was played over the top by Mapp, but his short angle shot went wide far post. Di Vaio again found space deep down the left flank, but his shot was deflected by MacMath in the 75th minute. Last game The Impact will conclude its second regular season in MLS next Saturday, at BMO Field, against Toronto FC at 4pm ET.
Impact Falls 1-0 in Toronto and Will Find out Its Playoff Fate Tomorrow The Montreal Impact was shutout 1-0 by Toronto FC at BMO Field in its final game of the 2013 regular season on Saturday afternoon in Toronto. Despite the loss, the Impact remains in the hunt for a playoff spot, but needs a little help from one of three teams still in the race. Toronto scored the game winning goal in the 16th minute following a turnover in midfield. Midfielder Jonathan Osorio fired a shot after striker Bright Dike managed to keep possession inside the box. Osorio's attempt was redirected by forward Robert Earnshaw, catching Impact keeper Troy Perkins going the opposite way. The Impact currently sits in third place in the Eastern Conference, ahead of 4th place Chicago Fire (49 pts) on tiebreakers, 5th place New England Revolution (48 pts) and the 6th seed Houston Dynamo (48 pts). Houston would need to beat D.C. United in Washington Sunday at 1:30pm to supplant the Impact. New England would need to win in Columbus tomorrow at 4pm, while Chicago would have to tie the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena at 5pm. Post-game comments "The way we played in the first half was not very good," said Impact head coach Marco Schallibaum. "We were too nervous, losing battles. The second half was better, but without scoring, we can't win the game. We had some chances in the second half, but just couldn't score." "It's tough, we are all really disappointed," said HassounCamara. "We knew how important this game was. We had a lot of scoring chances and in the end, we couldn't score and that was the difference in the game." "We spoke all week about not letting in a goal in the first half," said Marco Di Vaio. "If the game was tied at half, it would have been a different story. We didn't panic but we did have a tough time here." Other highlights In the 26th minute, Impact mid Justin Mapp cut to his left foot down the right flank and played a cross into the box that found Wenger, but the Impact striker's header missed short post. Forward Andrew Wenger got his head onto a corner kick played to the short post in the 32nd minute, but his redirect just missed short side. One minute later, TFC's Earnshaw found himself alone charging towards goal as Dike won a deep ball in the air from a goal kick, but Perkins charged out of his net, making himself big to block the forward's attempt. TFC came close again in the 38th minute when midfielder Kyle Bekker, after moving the ball around the top of the 18, fired a left-footed shot that dipped off the crossbar. Five minutes later, Earnshaw hammered one from outside the box that forced Perkins to tip the ball over the bar. The Impact made two substitutions in the 57th minute in an attempt to breathe life into the offence, bringing on Andrea Pisanu and Collen Warner for Felipe and Davy Arnaud. Arnaud was inches away from tying things up in the 53rd minute. After Di Vaio played a long switch to Mapp from midfield, the Italian striker made a run into the box to receive the return pass. Played a little behind him, Di Vaio deflected the ball over to Arnaud, but the captain's point blank shot was just tipped away by the outstretched hand of TFC keeper Joe Bendik. In the 65th minute, midfielder Pisanu redirected a cross towards the far post, but his header rolled just wide. Defender Hassoun Camara penetrated the box in the 71st minute, playing a short ball to Wenger six yards out, but the forward's one-timer was off-target by mere inches. Some confusion ensued in the 81st minute following a corner kick and the ball fell to TFC defender Scott Caldwell in close, but his shot was cleared off the line by Impact midfielder Hernan Bernardello. Impact midfielder Andres Romero, who came on in the 84th minute, brought down a long ball played in behind the TFC defence by Mapp with one touch before firing a shot that forced Bendik to make a spectacular diving stop, completely outstretched to his left. 2014 season tickets Join the club in 2014! Get your season tickets before this Sunday October 27 and save between 25 and 44%. You can get your seat online at impactmontreal.com.
Building the pyramid: Montreal Impact U-21s to compete in PDL next season player-development partnership between MLS and USL keeps growing. The Montreal Impact announced on Tuesday that the club’s Under-21 team will join the USL's Premier Development League in 2014 as a U-23 team. The team will play 14 games in the PDL regular season, which runs from May through July. “The PDL will be a good level of competition for us this year,” Montreal Impact Academy director Philippe Eullaffroy said in a statement. “We will be able to manage our roster between PDL games, the U18 competing in the USSDA [U.S. Soccer Development Academy] and the MLS Reserve League.” http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...montreal-impact-u-21s-compete-pdl-next-season
DC United send international roster spot to Montreal Impact for veteran midfielder Davy Arnaud D.C. United's young midfielders have a new mentor, one who knows Major League Soccer back to front. On Tuesday, the Montreal Impact announced they had traded club captain Davy Arnaud to United in exchange for an international roster spot during the 2014 and 2015 seasons. Last season, his second as Montreal's captain, Arnaud scored one goal and added five assists in 24 games, but salary cap implications forced the Quebec club to move a player who had been with the club since they entered MLS in 2011. "It was going to be challenging for us to bring Davy back with the salary cap and 2013 being the final year of his contract," sporting director Nick De Santis said in a statement. "He has always been a true professional and leader both on and off the field. He has served his role of captain well. We'd like to thank him for all he has done over the last two years with the Impact and we wish him all the best in the future." http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...ster-spot-montreal-impact-veteran-midfielder-
Marco Schällibaum out as head coach of Montreal Impact Goal.com has learned that the Swiss coach will not be returning to Stade Saputo next year. Schällibaum's contract was set to automatically renew due to Montreal's playoff qualification It appears that the Marco Schällibaum era at the Montreal Impact is over. Sources told Goal.com this week that the Montreal Impact and the Swiss native have parted ways. A late season collapse, one that saw the Impact fall to fifth place in the Eastern Conference and then emphatically eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, put Schällibaum’s tenure as head coach in jeopardy. In a press conference last month, club president Joey Saputo and sporting director Nick De Santis said that they were no longer sure if the 51-year-old would return in 2014, and that they would take the time to decide his future. http://www.goal.com/en-ca/news/4175...ällibaum-out-as-head-coach-of-montreal-impact
Meet the new boss: Klopas earns dual role in MTL A month and a half after he parted ways with the Chicago Fire, Frank Klopas is back on an MLS bench. The Montreal Impact announced on Wednesday that Klopas has been named head coach and director of player personnel of the club’s first team, having signed a three-year deal with the Canadian club. Per league and club policy, the terms of the deal were not disclosed. The announcement means that previous head coach Marco Schällibaum will not be returning with the club in 2014. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...mer-chicago-fire-boss-frank-klopas-head-coach
The Impact unveils the first edition of its members council 15 members selected, council will meet four times per year The council will meet four times a year to discuss issues that directly affect Impact members. The 2014 members council: Alexandre Ali Mutelo N’Gindu - Section 128 – Montreal – Member since 2011 Anthony Cafaro - Section 109 – Laval - Member since 2012 Eric Chenoix - Section 132 - Hochelaga-Maisonneuve - Member since 2002 Jean-Philippe Cloutier – Section 128 – Villeray – Member since 2012 Jean-François Cusson - Section 132 – Hochelaga-Maisonneuve - Member since 2009 Benoit Labonté - Section 128 – Blainville - Member since 2012 Sergio Lato - Section 133 - Saint-Leonard - Member since 2012 François Lupien - Section 126 – Repentigny - Member since 2012 Joe Masi - Section 107 & 125 - Saint Leonard - Member since 2008 Raffaele Mercuri - Section 124 – Pierrefonds - Member since 2011 May Lissa Ollivier - Section 110 – Plateau - Member since 2012 Daniel Paquette - Section 124 – Lorraine - Member since 2013 Claudine Parodi - Section 102 – Boucherville - Member since 2011 Jeffrey Robinson - Section 107 & 128 - Hochelaga-Maisonneuve - Member since 2011 Lionel Villalonga - Section 108 – Villeray - Member since 2012 http://www.impactmontreal.com/en/news/2013/12/impact-unveils-first-edition-its-members-council
21 players return Club exercised contract options with 15 players, 6 players already under contract MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact announced on Thursday that 21 players will be returning with the club in 2014. The Impact exercised contract options with 15 players to bring back goalkeepers Evan Bush, Maxime Crépeau and Troy Perkins, defenders Matteo Ferrari, Karl W. Ouimette and Maxim Tissot, as well as midfielders Patrice Bernier, Felipe, Wandrille Lefèvre, Calum Mallace, Justin Mapp, Zakaria Messoudi, Sanna Nyassi, Blake Smith and Collen Warner. Five players were also already under contract for the 2014 season: defenders Jeb Brovsky, Hassoun Camara and Adrian Lopez, midfielder Hernan Bernardello, as well as forward Andrew Wenger. The club had also confirmed on October 15 that striker Marco Di Vaio will be back with the team next season. “We are happy to announce that 21 players will be back in 2014,” said Impact sporting director Nick De Santis. “It’s a very good core of players that will give us stability next season. The process to build a strong roster is well underway.” http://www.impactmontreal.com/en/news/2013/12/impact-announces-return-21-players-2014
The Carls-Rite Cup and the Birth of the Toronto – Montreal Rivalry The Toronto-Montreal rivalry is one of the most hotly contested in North American soccer at the moment. Over the past few years the Montreal Impact and Toronto FC have played each other in plenty of memorable matches. The rivalry between the teams has spilled over to the fan bases and has built on the animosity that already existed between the cities’ other sporting teams. The rivalry between the Montreal Impact and Toronto FC is just one of many that has existed between soccer teams from these two cities over the years. The origins of this rivalry go back to the early 20th century with humble beginnings in the form of an amateur all-star game, the Carls-Rite Cup. The cup named after its donor, the famous Carls-Rite hotel in downtown Toronto, was first contested in 1914 and was contested every year there after until 1931 (with the exceptions of 1918 and 1926). Toronto and Montreal selected all-star teams from the best players playing for amateur clubs in each city to face off a two-legged affair. From 1927 onwards the format was changed slightly to a single match rotating annually between Montreal and Toronto (in the case of a tie the previous winner retained the cup). http://www.rednationonline.ca/Articles2014/TheCarlsRiteCupandtheBirthofarivalry.aspx
Montreal Impact announce defender Nelson Rivas has signed a new deal, will return for 2014 Nelson Rivas was the first player signed by the Montreal Impact in MLS in 2011, and he will remain with the club at least one more season. The club announced Friday that the defender signed a new contract with the Impact. Per MLS policy, details of the deal were not disclosed. Rivas, 30, missed all of the 2013 regular season with a knee injury that required surgery. He did play in Montreal's lone playoff game last season, somewhat surprisingly getting the starting nod in a 3-0 loss to the Houston Dynamo. The Colombian played 11 regular-season games in his first season with the Impact, 2012. Prior to joining the team, he played at a number of clubs in Europe and South America, including Italian giants Inter Milan and Argentine powerhouse River Plate http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...er-nelson-rivas-has-signed-new-deal-will-retu
Impact U23 unveils its 2014 PDL schedule MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact unveiled on Friday the schedule for its U23 team, playing in the Premier Development League (PDL) in 2014. The team will play a total of 14 games, seven at home and seven on the road. Coached by Philippe Eullaffroy, the U23s will play their first three games on the road, including the clubs first ever PDL game on May 17 at 7:30pm, against the Westchester Flames. The Impact U23 will play all of its home games on the synthetic field at Stade Saputo. Most of the games will be played at 5pm. Spectators will be able to enjoy the game from the new 500-seat bleachers along the synthetic field. Admission is free and open to the general public. The first home match is set for June 1 against Westchester once again. The Impact will also host the Real Boston Rams at Stade Saputo, affiliate club of the MLS’ New England Revolution, on July 11. http://www.impactmontreal.com/en/news/2014/02/impact-u23-unveils-its-2014-pdl-schedule
Montreal Impact's Blake Smith prefers new coach Frank Klopas' style: "There has been a lot less confusion" MONTREAL – Many young players struggle to see action in their first MLS season. The expectation, however, is that those players will receive plenty of feedback from their coaches in an effort to get on the field. For Montreal Impact midfielder Blake Smith, the reality in 2013 was that he didn't really get that communication, while his playing time dried up during the campaign. What about 2014? The good news is that Smith is starting to get some answers from the Impact's new coaching staff. “This year, I think the coaches have done a much better job of communicating exactly what they want me to do, and if I’m not doing something that they see as correct, they’ll let me know, which I appreciate,” Smith told MLSsoccer.com on Friday. “So I think that, this year, there has been a lot less confusion in my head and a lot more confidence.” http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...efers-new-coach-frank-klopas-style-there-has-
2014 Schedule The home opener is set for March 22 against the Seattle Sounders FC at Olympic Stadium, which will also host games versus the New York Red Bulls on April 5 and the Chicago Fire on April 12. http://www.impactmontreal.com/en/ne...-noir-impact-launches-2014-marketing-campaign
Midfielder Patrice Bernier named Impact captain Becomes the 7th captain in club's history http://www.reddit.com/tb/1xt4i6
Montreal Impact say imminent signing of forward Santiago Gonzalez will fall under Special Discovery MONTREAL – Uruguayan forward Santiago González will not fill the Montreal Impact’s third and final Designated Player spot when he signs. González, who was at Impact training on Thursday but did not take part in the session or address the media, will be a Special Discovery signing when the Impact officialize the deal, Montreal sporting director Nick De Santis told reporters on Thursday. González will travel with the team to Florida in the meantime, and De Santis is hopeful that the deal can materialize in the coming days. The little-known Special Discovery rule is not a new one, said De Santis, who cited Real Salt Lake’s acquisition of Olmes García in 2013 as an example of its application. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...gning-forward-santiago-gonzalez-will-fall-und
