Archive for March 11th, 2012

1

Marsch: For Impact, one loss does not a season make

By
Mike Wyman
– 03/11/2012

Jesse Marsch

After Saturday’s 2-0 MLS-opening loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps at B.C. Place, Montreal coach Jesse Marsch declared that one game does not a season make.

“If we had won tonight it’s not as if we’re a team already and because we lost it’s not like we have to start all over.”

Montreal’s players seemed slow to react and tentative on many occasions, appearing indecisive when playing the ball, with the delays allowing the Whitecaps to ultimately counter their visitors effectively with the offensively minded. Set plays were less than effective and their ensemble play showed that it is not yet at the level it has to be for the Montrealers to compete in their initial MLS season.
Read the rest of this entry »

Share
0

Barry Rice gets the goal as FC Edmonton draws FC Tucson

By
Steven Sandor
– 03/11/2012

Barry Rice’s strange pass-that-became-a-shot allowed FC Edmonton to escape its first preseason match of the 2012 season with a draw.

The Eddies drew FC Tucson of the PDL 1-1 Saturday in Arizona. The Tucson side has been steeled for upper-tier competition as it has faced MLS competition during the preseason.

It took just 10 minutes for the Arizona side to take a lead on the NASL team. Donny Toia beat Eddies’ keeper Michal Misiewicz, who got in 45 minutes of work as he gets ready to head to Florida early next week to join the Canadian pre-Olympic camp. FC Edmonton’s Shaun Saiko and Kyle Porter will also leave camp in Arizona for the Canadian trials.
Read the rest of this entry »

Share
0

MLS President: It will take time for Canadians to emerge in MLS

By
Steven Sandor
– 03/11/2012

Mark Abbott

MLS President Mark Abbott said that March is an exciting month for Canadian soccer.

Speaking at halftime of Saturday’s Whitecaps-Impact curtain-raiser, Abbott pointed to Wednesday’s CONCACAF Champions League date which saw Toronto FC fans pack the Rogers Centre, the rekindling of the Impact-Whitecaps rivalry and the fact that Montreal has sold more than 40,000 tickets for next week’s Olympic Stadium home opener.

But, a cynic would question the “all-Canadian” nature of the Impact-Whitecaps match. After all, between the starting lineups of both teams, there was only one player who would be eligible for a Canada call-up; Impact midfielder Patrice Bernier.
Read the rest of this entry »

Share
0

Vancouver’s Renniessance overwhelms Impact in MLS opener

By
Steven Sandor
– 03/11/2012

It took just three minutes and seven seconds for the Renniessance to officially take hold in Vancouver.

That’s how long after the kickoff of the MLS season opener that it took for the new and improved Vancouver Whitecaps to stick the ball in the back of the Montreal Impact net.

After taking a perfectly weighted headed flick from French compatriot Eric Hassli, Sebastien Le Toux, the MLS star forward acquired from Philadelphia in the off-season, used a deft left-footed chip to push the ball into space behind Impact defender Tyson Wahl, ran onto the ball and then slid the ball past keeper Donovan Ricketts.

For Vancouver, it was a dream start in front of 21,000 fans at B.C. Place. For the Montreal Impact, it was a rude welcome to MLS.

“The disappointing part is that it happened so quickly into the game that we didn’t give ourselves a chance for the game to settle in and we are already down 1-0,” said Impact coach Jesse Marsch.
Read the rest of this entry »

Share