CONTEXT
> After eight games played, the Impact remains the only team in the United Soccer Leagues First Division to be undefeated, with a record of 4-0-4.
> In its last match-up June 3, the Impact tied the Toronto Lynx 0-0 in front of 9864 spectators at the Claude-Robillard Sports Complex.
> The Impact has yet to score a goal at home this season.
> Montreal’s longest undefeated streak is 12 games. The Impact went 8-0-4 last season in their first 12 games.
IMPACT VS BATTERY
> The Impact have a lifetime record of 4-4-0 against the Battery.
> Last season, the Impact shut out Charleston on two occasions. On April 30, 2004, a goal from Mauro Biello in overtime led the Impact to a 1-0 win in Charleston. On July 28, in Montreal, the Impact shutout the Battery 2-0. Sandro Grande and Eduardo Sebrango scored a goal each.
> The Battery comes into Montreal on a three-game winning streak, allowing only one goal during that stretch. In Minnesota June 11, the Battery shut out the Thunder 1-0. Last Friday, Charleston beat the league-leading Richmond Kickers 2-1 and disposed of the Vancouver Whitecaps 2-0 on Sunday.
> Former Impact defender Drew Kopp joined the Battery this season and participated in five of the last six games, four as a starter.
> The Battery won the A-League championship in 2003.
NOTES
> Goalkeeper Greg Sutton suffered a concussion in training and his availability for the game is uncertain. He has earned six shutouts in eight starts this season. If he plays the game, Sutton could reach the 50-shutout mark with the Impact (regular season).
> Midfielder Sandro Grande, who missed the last five games because of a groin injury, should be back in the line-up.
> After sitting out the beginning of the season because of a knee injury, Impact defender Jason Di Tullio returned to action against the Lynx, June 3, playing the final seven minutes of the match.
> David Fronimadis continues to train with the club. He has been on the sidelines since last season as a result of a knee injury he suffered last year.
> Goalkeeper Greg Sutton and midfielder Patrick Leduc are the only two players who have played every single minute this season. Both players have banked 720 minutes so far.
> Forward Nicolas Lesage, originally from Trois-Rivières, has been loaned to the Laval Dynamites of the Canadian Professional Soccer League (CPSL), while goalkeeper Gerry Argento was loaned to the Laval Conquérants, a club from the Quebec Elite Soccer League. Both players remain the property of the Montreal Impact.
COMMENTS
> Impact head coach Nick De Santis: "We have worked a lot on the offensive side of the game in the last three weeks. We will try to attack more, but our first objective is to win the game. We will have to fight hard for every ball and we’ll have to be more aggressive than in our last game against Toronto. Even if we haven’t scored at home, we have to be positive because we are still unbeaten and we have the best defence in the league."
> Gabriel Gervais: "We are very anxious to be back on the field. This has been like a second training camp and now we are excited. We will be back in front of our fans and we want to give them a good show. Charleston has a good team every year. They have had some success recently, so it will be another very competitive match-up."
> Patrick Leduc: "We will have to establish our rhythm at the beginning of the game. Charleston is on a winning streak right now. They are a quick team on the sides, but we know them very well. Offensively, we will try to find some openings that will give us more chances to score."
THE STANDINGS
> The Richmond Kickers sit atop the United Soccer Leagues First Division with 26 points in 13 games.
> With three consecutive victories and 17 points in the standings, Charleston has climbed into fourth place.
> The Impact is currently in sixth place, after eight games played.
NEXT GAMES
> The Montreal Impact will play a promotional game during the “Soccer Extravaganza” event, which will take place June 25, at 2 pm, at Riverside Field, in LaSalle. All profits from the game will be donated to the Quebec Breast Cancer Foundation. Montreal Impact president Joey Saputo will be the honorary chairman of the event.
> The Impact will play its next game on the road, Thursday, June 30, when they face the Timbers in Portland (10 pm). The Impact will return home on July 3 in a rematch of last year’s final against the Seattle Sounders (7 pm, CJAD, CKAC).
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Source: Patrick Vallée
Info: 514-328-3668 (ext. 27)
