Severino Jefferson (25th minute) and Joey Gjertsen (35th minute) scored the two goals for the Impact. Impact goalkeeper Matt Jordan registered the shutout, after facing 12 shots.
“I’m very happy with tonight’s result,” said Impact head coach John Limniatis. “We now have collected three points in this tournament, with two games to go on the road which will be tough. It wasn’t a perfect game for us tonight but we fought hard until the end and it’s the final result that counts.”
“It was a great team performance and we fought from the beginning to the end. This is going to be the key to success until the end of the season,” said goalkeeper Matt Jordan. “We have a lot of respect for Vancouver and they are a dynamic team, but we did a good job against them tonight.”
Forward Severino Jefferson scored his first goal in the Impact uniform in the 25th minute. On the sequence, midfielder Joey Gjertsen dribbled on the right wing and then centered a ball that deflected on a Whitecaps defender, before being intercepted by Jefferson who defeated goalkeeper Jay Nolly to his left.
Gjertsen gave a two-goal lead to the Impact in the 35th minute. After accepting a pass from captain Mauro Biello that rolled between the legs of a Whitecaps defender, Gjertsen finished with a powerful cross shot that beat Nolly.
“Things went well for us and all around it was a good game for us,” said midfielder Joey Gjertsen. “We did well in the back by not giving away too many chances and offensively, we scored two goals. With our 2-0 lead, we still kept good possession of the ball for the rest of the game.”
After playing the first two games of the tournament, the Impact has now collected three points. During its first game May 27, the Impact had been shut out 1-0 by the Toronto FC in Montreal.
Midfielder David Testo was back on the starting lineup for the first time since May 30 against the Portland Timbers. Midfielder Leonardo Di Lorenzo, who came in at the 45th minute, was playing his first game since May 19, against Vancouver. Defender Davy Uwimana, from the Trois-Rivières Attak, played his first career game with the Impact, entering the match in the 78th minute.
The return game between the Whitecaps and the Impact will be held at Swangard Stadium, June 25. The fourth and last Impact game of the tournament will be played July 22 at BMO Field, in Toronto.
The Montreal Impact will play its next game this Sunday against the Carolina RailHawks at Saputo Stadium (3:30 pm, Radio-Canada, CKAC Sports, THE TEAM 990, USLlive.com).
HIGHLIGHTS
7th minute – Whitecaps forward Jason Jordan took a shot at the entrance of the box, just above the Impact goal.
30th minute – Following a series of quick passes between Whitecaps players, midfielder Alfredo Valente went on a lone run on the left wing in front of Impact goalkeeper Matt Jordan who stopped a high ball, diving to his left.
44th minute – Goalkeeper Matt Jordan stopped with a fully extended dive a point blank shot from forward Jason Jordan.
68e minute – Whitecaps midfielder Tony Donatelli went in alone on goalkeeper Matt Jordan who deflected the ball with his face.
GAME SUMMARY
PHOTOS PÉPÉ AT SAPUTO STADIUM
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Source : Patrick Vallée, Montreal Impact
Info : 514-328-3668 (ext. 227)
