The Impact opened the score in the 41st minute with a goal from forward Frederico Moojen. Posted at the entrance of the box, Moojen recuperated a loose ball and fired a shot in the top left corner of Thunder goalkeeper Nicolas Platter’s net. It was his second goal of the season.
Minnesota tied the game in stoppage time when midfielder Jeremiah Bass took advantage of a failed clearing attempt by the Impact defense to beat goalkeeper Andrew Weber in the upper left corner.
“I think we missed too many scoring chances in the second half, because we had opportunities to score a second goal,” said Impact head coach Nick De Santis. “It’s disappointing to get only one point tonight. We should have capitalized on these opportunities. We suffered. There is no excuse to give the game to the Thunder like we did tonight.”
“We had many chances to clear the ball, but we could not do it firmly,” said Weber, who was starting his first game of the season, and who faced 10 shots during the game. “The ball bounced on a couple of occasions, I could not see and while I was moving to my right, he shot to my left. We didn’t lose tonight, but it would have been nice to win.”
With the tie, the Impact reached the Rochester Raging Rhinos in second place overall in USL D1 standings, with 16 points. Montreal has three more games to play.
The Impact had to manage without six players: defenders Nevio Pizzolitto (knee), Andres Arango (thigh) and Gabriel Gervais (national team), midfielders Mauro Biello (thigh) and Antonio Ribeiro (national team), as well as forward Fabian Dawkins (knee).
For the third time in club history, the team is undefeated in its first eight games of the season. The club had previously achieved this feat in 2004 (7-0-1) and 2005 (4-0-4).
Montreal, which is playing a six-game stretch at home, will face the Portland Timbers on Friday (8 pm, CJAD 800, Télévision de Radio-Canada, FSW, Sirius).
HIGHLIGHTS
11th minute – After a pass from midfielder Zé Roberto, Matthew Palleschi took a point blank shot from the corner of the box, but Thunder goalkeeper Nicolas Platter dived to his left to make the save.
13th minute – After a long pass, Thunder forward Keisuke Ota took a hard low shot but Impact goalkeeper Andrew Weber made the save with his fingertips, diving to his right.
20th minute – Impact forward Charles Gbeke deflected with his head the ball centered by defender David Fronimadis, but the ball just sailed wide off the Thunder net.
70th minute – Positioned at the penalty mark, forward Charles Gbeke made a back pass to midfielder Leonardo Di Lorenzo, who fired a strong shot directly on Thunder goalkeeper Nicolas Platter.
MISSING FROM THE LINE-UP
Player – Position – Injury – Status - Games missed
Andres Arango Defender Thigh Day to day 1
Fabian Dawkins Forward Knee Approx. three weeks 1
Mauro Biello Midfielder Thigh Day to day 3
Nevio Pizzolitto Defender Knee Approx. 1 month 8
Jason DiTullio Defender Knee Return unknown 8
Shaun Tsakiris Midfielder Groin Return unknown 8
NEXT GAMES
Date – Teams – Stadium - Time
• Friday, June 8 – Portland @ Impact – Claude-Robillard Sports Complex – 8 pm (Télévision de Radio-Canada, FSW, Sirius, CJAD 800)
• Friday, June 15 – Charleston @ Impact - Claude-Robillard Sports Complex – 7 pm (Télévision de Radio-Canada, Sirius, CJAD 800, USLlive.com)
• Thursday, June 21 – Impact @ Portland – PGE Park – 10 pm (USLlive.com)
• Saturday, June 23 – Impact @ Seattle – Qwest Field – 10 pm (USLlive.com)
GAME SUMMARY
PHOTOS PÉPÉ
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Source : Patrick Vallée, Montreal Impact
Info : 514-328-3668 Ext. 27
