Third of four thematic games to celebrate the club’s quarter-century
MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact will celebrate its third of four 25th anniversary commemorative games, this Wednesday at 7:30pm, when Orlando City SC visits Stade Saputo (TICKETS - TVA Sports, 98,5fm, TSN Radio 690).
Several celebrations are taking place on the Montreal Impact’s 25th year of existence. Tomorrow, the club will highlight the contributions from local talent in the past quarter-century. Many players from here have marked the club’s history and will be presented to the fans at halftime.
Patrice Bernier was a standout figure in the club’s ascension to MLS, in his second spell with the Impact. Captain from 2014 to 2017, he’s ranked third for games played, fourth for games started and minutes played. The name Patrice Bernier features in many other categories within the Bleu-blanc-noir’s record book: ninth for goals scored, second for assists and seventh for shots, among others. He also played 56 games with Canada.
The club’s leader in more than a few categories, including games played, minutes played, goals, assists and shots, Mauro Biello is the only player to have won all three of the Impact’s playoffs championships, in 1994, 2004 and 2009. In a career ranging from 1991 to 2009, he played a grand total of 445 games, 344 of those with the Impact. With the Bleu-blanc-noir, Biello scored 72 goals, adding 65 assists.
In three spells with the Montreal Impact as a player, Adam Braz won two playoffs championships, in 2004 and 2009, as well as a Canadian Championship. The full-back, now the Bleu-blanc-noir’s technical director, is ranked 11th in club history in terms of minutes played, and he’s represented the Canadian national team 12 times in his career.
Defender Patrick Diotte is ranked fifth in club history for games started and seventh for games played. A member of the club’s defensive brigade from 1993 to 2001, he also wore Canada’s colours at the Gold Cup, in 1991. He started his career with the Ottawa Pioneers, before coming home, to Montreal, with the Supra the following year.
Patrick Leduc spent a decade with the Bleu-blanc-noir, playing a total of 222 games, ranking him fourth in club history. A two-time playoffs champion, in 2004 and 2009, the midfielder also participated in the Impact’s first ever Canadian Championship, in Toronto in 2008.
The best scorer from the club’s inaugural edition in 1993, Grant Needham is ranked 10th for goals scored and 11th for assists, despite only playing five seasons with the Bleu-blanc-noir, from 1993 to 1998. He shares the record for consecutive games with at least a goal with Didier Drogba, the two forwards having found the back of the net in five straight games.
After two seasons with the Impact, in 2002 and 2003, Rocco Placentino left for Italy, where he played for numerous clubs. Back in Montreal in 2008, he won the playoffs championship in 2009 with the Bleu-blanc-noir. Throughout his career, he played 95 games with the Impact, accumulating 13 assists, good for 14th overall in club history. He also scored the first goal in Stade Saputo’s history.
Antonio Ribeiro played 10 seasons with the Bleu-blanc-noir, between 2000 and 2011. Playoffs champion in 2004, he scored the goal that ensured the regular season championship in 2005. In 170 total games with the Bleu-blanc-noir, Ribeiro scored 14 goals and added 12 assists.
