The record, first established in the team’s inaugural season in 1993, has been tied seven times since. But only once, in 1998, did the Impact come up with such a streak at the beginning of the season.
"From day one, the players have been on a mission," says head coach Nick DeSantis, whose team has yet to lose in six games this season (5-0-1). "Sure, you want these kinds of things to happen, but you never expect them. The depth we have has made a big difference. The whole group has contributed to the team’s success so far, and that is very positive."
Although the Impact has put more emphasis on attacking this year, defence has been one of the team’s main assets, with only one goal allowed in six games. Goalkeeper Greg Sutton boasts a goals-against average of 0.156, the best in the A-League before this weekend’s games.
"The majority of our defenders have been with us for the past three years," noted Sutton. "We are getting more and more comfortable with each other, and that has been one of the key components to our team’s success.
"This team also has a lot of confidence overall. We expect to shut down every team that comes in here, and that is also a big factor in how well we have done so far."
Sutton, the league’s Goalkeeper of the Year in 2003, already has five shutouts this season. He is only two perfect games away from the mark of 34 career shutouts, a club record held by Paolo Ceccarelli.
"It’s flattering, but I’m not really into individual awards," added Sutton. "At the end of the season, nobody will remember these statistics. What you do remember is winning a championship."
The quest for records will continue against a tough opponent, Sunday. The Kickers (5-2-3) are among the top teams in the Eastern Conference, along with the Impact and the Rochester Rhinos. Players to watch for are midfielder Rich Williams, who returns to Richmond this season after helping DC United win three Major League Soccer championship titles, and rookie Matthew Delicate, who was second in A-League scoring before the weekend with four goals and 11 points, one point ahead of Montreal’s Fred Commodore (5 goals). Richmond’s Joey Worthen, for his part, has nine points, including four goals.
"They are one of the better teams in the league on the road (3-0-2 record)," said DeSantis. "If we are going to dictate the pace of the game, we will have to be careful about counter-attacks because they are very good in that aspect of the game."
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SOURCE:
bcomm
INFO:
Stéphane Banfi
514-328-3668 (ext. 27)
