The Impact therefore remains undefeated this season, with a 4-0-1 record, and joins the Rochester Rhinos on top of Eastern Conference standings. Both teams have 13 points, but Montreal has one game in hand.
The Impact and the Lynx will face off again Saturday evening, this time at Toronto’s Centennial Park Stadium (6 pm, CKAC).
"I’m obviously happy with the win. I’m proud of the effort given by the players," said Impact head coach Nick DeSantis. "But we’ll have to play better tomorrow (Saturday). The quality of our passing was lacking tonight."
"Four goals, it’s a good shot in the arm," said midfielder Patrick Leduc, whose free kicks led, directly or indirectly, to the Impact’s first three goals. "We didn’t dominate technically, but we were able to take advantage of our scoring chances."
Bailey, a rookie, scored his first career A-League goal at the 48th minute of play, on a header following a cross sent to him by Leduc on a free kick. That gave Montreal a 2-1 lead.
Defender Nevio Pizzolitto, in his first game back after being injured to the abdomen, scored the Impact’s first goal at the 25th minute, in similar fashion, again on a play originated by Leduc.
The Lynx replied on a header by Ali Ngon-Gerba that hit the post, but the ball was deflected into the net by Impact goalkeeper Greg Sutton. That tied it up at 1-1 at the 28th.
Bailey, early into the second half, Vincello, at the 69th minute, and Commodore, at the 89th, had the last word, however. Vincello’s goal was his first in an Impact uniform since being acquired from the Lynx. On the play, Leduc took a free kick that was cleared by the Toronto defence, but the ball went towards the Impact defender, who one-timed the ball from about 20 yards out and beat Lynx goalkeeper Bryheem Hancock to his left. Commodore completed the scoring with his third goal of the season, on a set-up by Nikola Budalic.
The goal scored by the Lynx ended Sutton’s shutout streak at four games, which ties a club record that was established in 1996 by Paolo Ceccarelli. Sutton shut out the opponent for 424 consecutive minutes to approach the club record of 499 minutes without allowing a goal, also set in 1996.
Mauro Biello, for his part, played the 219th game of his career in an Impact uniform. He therefore tied the club record, established by Nick DeSantis.
Before the game, Impact management announced that defender David Fronimadis would be out for the rest of the season because of a torn ligament to the left knee. Montreal has added on André Hainault to the squad, a defender who is presently captain of the under-17 Canadian national team.
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SOURCE:
bcomm
INFO:
Stéphane Banfi
514-328-3668 (ext. 27)
