May 1 - Atlanta-Montreal (R)

[Metro]

COMMODORE LEADS IMPACT TO 2-0 WIN IN ATLANTA

ATLANTA, May 1, 2004 — Newcomer Fred Commodore scored his first two goals in an Impact uniform, Saturday, to give Montreal a 2-0 win against the Atlanta Silverbacks. Commodore found the back of the net at the 60th minute of play, assisted by defender Mauricio Vincello, and at the 75th minute, on a set-up by Eduardo Sebrango.

"As a striker, this is my job," said Commodore. "When you have a chance, you have to make the best of it, and that’s what I did today."

Goalkeeper Greg Sutton earned his third shutout in as many starts when he dove to his right to make the save on a penalty kick taken by Velko Iotov at the 80th minute of play. A hand ball foul by a Montreal defender Gabriel Gervais led to the PK.

"I’m not surprised," said Sutton about his team’s defensive performance so far this season. "We have a team that’s continuing to improve, the players have more experience playing together and it shows. And we’re very deep on the defensive line, which is important because tonight, if we hadn’t done well defensively, particularly in the first half, we probably wouldn’t have won the game."

The Montreal squad therefore will come back from its three-game road trip with a perfect 3-0 record, after coming up with a 1-0 overtime win 24 hours earlier in Charleston, against the Battery, and a 2-0 victory last Sunday against the Puerto Rico Islanders, in its season opener.

The Impact is having its best start since the 1998 season. That year, Montreal came back from a two-week road trip with a 4-0 record. It went on to win its first seven games of the season.

At the moment he scored his first goal, Commodore had only been on the field for four minutes. He had come into the game at the 56th minute of play to replace Darko Kolic. Vincello pushed up on the left wing and then found Commodore with a pass into the penalty area. Commodore took the time to control the ball and he went around goalkeeper Anthony Tokpah, who dove at his feet, but the Impact striker still managed to find the opening.

On the second goal, Sebrango made a run deep on the left wing and made a cross. Commodore sharply headed the ball towards the near post, the Silverbacks goalkeeper couldn’t control it and it was 2-0.

Aside from his save on the PK, Sutton also had a little luck at the 81st minute, when Attila Vendegh hit the right post.

For this second match-up in as many nights, head coach Nick DeSantis made significant changes to his starting line-up, as Kolic, Vincello, Kyt Selaidopoulos, Antonio Ribeiro and Lloyd Barker all earned their first start of the season.

The Impact will now have two weeks to prepare for its home opener at Claude Robillard Stadium, slated for Sunday, May 16 at 4 pm against the Virginia Beach Mariners.