June 29th Montreal - Puerto Rico [R]

[jpg75]

This game is being shown in French language television nationally on CBC. Channel 12 for those of you in the Toronto area.

[Grizzly]

Impressive crowd numbers on a night when the Alouettes also had a home game.

Game stats:http://www.montrealimpact.com/Tracker/Tracker.aspx?GameID=51&language=EN

PUERTO RICO 0 IMPACT 1

MONTREAL – A goal from midfielder Antonio Ribeiro in stoppage time of the second half led the Montreal Impact (6-2-5) to a 1-0 shut out against the Puerto Rico Islanders (3-4-6), Friday, in front of 12,844 spectators at the Claude-Robillard Sports Complex.

On the play, defender Simon Gatti, who had replaced David Fronimadis in the 84th minute, made a pass to Ribeiro, who took the time to control the ball at the top of the box before taking a low, diagonal shot. His 18-yard shot beat the Islanders goalkeeper Josh Saunders, on his right.

For Ribeiro, it was his first goal of the season, while Gatti’s assist was his first career point with the Impact.

“I think we need to be patient. We try building gradually and to change some of our habits on the field," said Ribeiro. "I think that stretching and rest are also important: we need to be careful about certain things and it pays off. I like playing physical. I consider a physical approach to be as important as a tactical approach. We are ready as a team to play both ways.”

“This victory feels good, we’ve been waiting for it for some time," said Impact head coach Nick De Santis. "It will build the team’s confidence. However we had a hard time, the Islanders put pressure on us in the second half. During the first twenty minutes, we created opportunities, but we then began losing the midfield. The goal was great because the guys continued to believe. Ribeiro deserved to score, he believes in himself and in his potential, and he showed it at the end of the game. Once again, this victory is really good for team morale.”

With the win, the Impact ends a four-game winless streak at home and is now only two points away from first place in the USL First Division standings, behind the Vancouver Whitecaps (25 points).

Captain Mauro Biello, who missed the last seven games after suffering a thigh injury during the home opener against the Seattle Sounders, on May 20, returned to play tonight at the 65th minute, when he was substituted into the game for Alen Marcina.

With 12,844 spectators, the Impact recorded its best crowd of the season so far at home. It was also the ninth best attendance in the club's history during regular season.

The Montreal Impact will play its next game this Sunday, in Québec City, against the California Victory at Laval University’s PEPS, at 4 pm (Télévision de Radio-Canada, Sirius, CJAD 800).

HIGHLIGHTS

13th minute - After having dribbled the ball to the top of the box, midfielder Leonardo Di Lorenzo took a high shot, but Islanders goalkeeper Josh Saunders dove to his left and made a save, boxing the ball with his fists.

60th minute - Following a centering pass to the near post by Di Lorenzo, forward Charles Gbeke redirected the pass with a header, but the ball bounced off an Islanders defender wide right of the Islanders net.

78th minute - Defender Lars Lyssand fired a hard, left-footed strike from 30-yards that brushed the outside of the net.

INJURED PLAYERS

Player – Position – Injury – Status - Games missed

Gabriel Gervais – Defender – Groin - Approx. two weeks - 4

Nevio Pizzolitto - Defender - Knee - Approx. two weeks - 13

Jason DiTullio – Defender - Knee - Return unknown - 13

Shaun Tsakiris – Midfielder – Groin - Return unknown - 13

NEXT GAMES

Date – Teams – Stadium - Time

• Sunday, July 1 – California @ Impact – PEPS de l’Université Laval, in Québec City- 4 pm (Télévision de Radio-Canada, Sirius, CJAD 800)

• Sunday, July 8 – Carolina @ Impact – Sherbrooke University Stadium – 4 pm (Télévision de Radio-Canada, Sirius, CJAD 800)

[Daniel]

People were fleeing even before the heavy rain started. All that was left was the top of the Main stand (covered) and the kop.

[RS]

Every match I've watched this season have been godawful 1-0, 0-0 snorefests.

That, and the crowd (despite it's impressive number) is really quiet. I'm not sure if it's the SRC micing, but I'm pretty sure I shouldn't be able to hear the players' individual voices over a crowd of 12,000.

I did hear the Ultras from time to time, though.

[Jarrek]

Yeah, snore fests indeed. And the fans keep coming back. It's mind-boggling.

[DarnCherry]

Yeah, I wouldn't attend an Impact game even if they let me in for free. Oh wait a minute....

[Grizzly]

quote:Originally posted by Rudi

That, and the crowd (despite it's impressive number) is really quiet.

I did hear the Ultras from time to time, though.

Yes the Ultras do their best but the rest of the crowd is very quiet and do not participate in the Ultras singing whatsoever. The question is whether this would change if the Impact moved to MLS. The problem now is that much of the crowd is made up of people who are not very hardcore soccer fans and come to the games largely because the tickets were free/cheap. Possibly if the Impact were playing in MLS the improved league level would attract more of the many real soccer fans in the city instead of the casual crowd. At the moment I do find it a bit boring to go to Impact games. The level of play is not high, the style of soccer they play is very dull and there is no atmosphere outside of about 30 people. I do sometimes attend lower division games in Europe which don't have a better playing level but being amongst 6000 fans chanting all game long is much more fun than being among 13 000 fans who barely make a noise.

[Daniel]

Here's what the club thinks of its active supporters: http://www.radio-canada.ca/sports/soccer/2007/06/29/001-ultras-vendredi.shtml

Let's just say "hooligans" made an appearance...

BTW, SRC has someone running the touchline with a microphone to capture game sounds.

[Grizzly]

quote:Originally posted by Daniel

Here's what the club thinks of its active supporters: http://www.radio-canada.ca/sports/soccer/2007/06/29/001-ultras-vendredi.shtml

Let's just say "hooligans" made an appearance...

BTW, SRC has someone running the touchline with a microphone to capture game sounds.

Looks like Saputo wants to maintain the present atmosphere of no atmosphere rather than the type of atmosphere present at TFC games. One would think by reputation that Montreal would have the loud, rowdy fans not Toronto but apparently not if Saputo gets his way. There is no denying that Saputo has done a lot for soccer in Montreal but one has to wonder if he is really the best person to be running the Impact. He may be the best in the sense that if he didn't do it noone else would but I would sure trade MLSE or Kerfoot as an owner for Saputo. Saputo seems to me to be a more successful version of the Hartrell's. Maybe we will never get an MLS team anyway but if we do tickets will be more expensive and his family atmosphere is not going to fill the stadium or bring in the real soccer fans who will pay $30-$100 for a ticket.

For those that can't read French Saputo states he has great reservations about the Ultras but might be willing to give them a section in the new stadium if they buy at least 50 season tickets, don't burn pyros, don't swear, write all their banners in French and without swearwords (when did he become part of the language police, and he isn't even French himself) and otherwise behave like good boys.

[RS]

"Il faut faire la différence entre les partisans qui aiment le soccer et les partisans, comme les Ultras, qui sont... je ne veux pas dire des hooligans, mais il faut faire attention."

This line is hilarious. He doesn't really want to call you hooligans, but the fact that he even used the word implies that he thinks you are.

Perhaps a supporters section similar to what we have here for TFC would be the best thing for you guys. Having seen the U-Sector struggle through the same scenario with the Lynx (from a distance... I only "officially" joined them before the start of the2006 USL season) and then thrive in an environment (TFC supporters section) where like-minded people are allowed to do their thing, maybe a separate section wouldn't be so bad.

[Grizzly]

There is an Ultras section at CCR but that is because there is general admission at CCR. It seems like this may not be the case at Saputo stadium. The main difference seems to be that MLSE has embraced the soccer atmosphere while the Hartrell's and Saputo seem to want some baseball like family picnic atmosphere.

[Free kick]

I don't get it at all. What is Saputo spouting? He is concerned about the intermingling of the supporters groups with the families. But I cannot think of, off the top of my head, of a single word or piece of foul language that I heard all night long. Contrast that with the support group in TO, where the majority of the chants have a sprinkling of words that would be censured. Yet, I haven't heard anyone complain.

Since when did this city become Montreal the good? Maybe this has to do with neighborhoods and that CCR tend to attract a neighborhood crowd. While having a smoke and a beer, I did overhear some senior ladies seated at the park benches between the Ultras and the concessions complaining about the supporters groups. Specifically, they didn't like excessive noise. I guess that they would rather the atmosphere of a bingo hall at a soccer game.

I don't think that the problem is the the rest of the crowd is quiet. Of course they are. In most stadiums its the supporters sections that is responsible for the atmosphere at most games anyways.

[Daniel]

quote:Originally posted by Rudi

Perhaps a supporters section similar to what we have here for TFC would be the best thing for you guys. Having seen the U-Sector struggle through the same scenario with the Lynx (from a distance... I only "officially" joined them before the start of the2006 USL season) and then thrive in an environment (TFC supporters section) where like-minded people are allowed to do their thing, maybe a separate section wouldn't be so bad.

The club seems to be thinking backwards. We would like a section for ALL active supporters (as is stated in the article) and he is asking us to sell 50 season-tickets. When did we become the box-office?

[DJT]

quote:Originally posted by Grizzly

Possibly if the Impact were playing in MLS the improved league level would attract more of the many real soccer fans in the city instead of the casual crowd.

Maybe it's just me, but if people require a certain "league level" before becoming interested then I have a really hard time considering them "real soccer fans". Sounds more like snobby soccer fans to me, or people who are more interested in other things beyond the game.

[RS]

quote:Originally posted by Daniel

The club seems to be thinking backwards. We would like a section for ALL active supporters (as is stated in the article) and he is asking us to sell 50 season-tickets. When did we become the box-office?

Yeah I saw that 50 season ticket line. Utter garbage if you ask me.

[Free kick]

quote:Originally posted by DJT

Maybe it's just me, but if people require a certain "league level" before becoming interested then I have a really hard time considering them "real soccer fans". Sounds more like snobby soccer fans to me, or people who are more interested in other things beyond the game.

Nope. In fact I think its the opposite. There is a much larger gap in quality between MLS and USL than I previously thought and I was one who was preaching of the better quality of play in MLS as a plus to the game in Canada. Yet, from being around the MLS venue i noted that there are people who know the game present. Lots of paraphenalia, team jerseys etc and a definite emotional involvement with ebb and flow of the game. Whereas USL has a lot of families and kids who aren't even paying attention.

Many real soccer fans know quality when they see it. Those who dont know quality ( ie.: families and kids)have been the staple for people like the Hartrells .

[Grizzly]

quote:Originally posted by DJT

Maybe it's just me, but if people require a certain "league level" before becoming interested then I have a really hard time considering them "real soccer fans". Sounds more like snobby soccer fans to me, or people who are more interested in other things beyond the game.

That is like saying people that like the NHL but wouldn't attend an AHL game are not hockey fans. And the USL is several tiers below AHL level in soccer terms. I am a pretty hard core soccer fan and do enjoy lower division games in Europe often more than the top tier because of the fan atmosphere, the travelling to away games, the chanting, the chanting of the other fans, ie. the overall fan experience. Yet if I was to watch this level of soccer without any of this atmosphere I would be totally bored. I can enjoy watching well played soccer games with no atmosphere and enjoy it for the game itself but it certainly has to be far better soccer than that played in the USL. If I want to watch this type of soccer I watch 1st Bundesliga, EPL or La Liga not the Impact or Sachsen Leipzig the 4th division team I support in Germany. Yet the atmosphere at Sachsen Leipzig games is electric while at the Impact you have 30 Ultras shouting their lungs out and 12000 other comatose people. To be honest I attend Impact games more out of a sense of duty to the team/Canadian soccer and in the hope that eventually they will play at a better level (ie. MLS) in the future not because I actually enjoy the games.

[Grizzly]

quote:Originally posted by DJT

Maybe it's just me, but if people require a certain "league level" before becoming interested then I have a really hard time considering them "real soccer fans". Sounds more like snobby soccer fans to me, or people who are more interested in other things beyond the game.

That is like saying people that like the NHL but wouldn't attend an AHL game are not hockey fans. And the USL is several tiers below AHL level in soccer terms. I am a pretty hard core soccer fan and do enjoy lower division games in Europe often more than the top tier because of the fan atmosphere, the travelling to away games, the chanting, the chanting of the other fans, ie. the overall fan experience. Yet if I was to watch this level of soccer without any of this atmosphere I would be totally bored. I can enjoy watching well played soccer games with no atmosphere and enjoy it for the game itself but it certainly has to be far better soccer than that played in the USL. If I want to watch this type of soccer I watch 1st Bundesliga, EPL or La Liga not the Impact or Sachsen Leipzig the 4th division team I support in Germany. Yet the atmosphere at Sachsen Leipzig games is electric while at the Impact you have 30 Ultras shouting their lungs out and 12000 other comatose people. To be honest I attend Impact games more out of a sense of duty to the team/Canadian soccer and in the hope that eventually they will play at a better level (ie. MLS) in the future not because I actually enjoy the games.

[Grizzly]

quote:Originally posted by Free kickI don't think that the problem is the the rest of the crowd is quiet. Of course they are. In most stadiums its the supporters sections that is responsible for the atmosphere at most games anyways.

In most stadiums where? In Canada except for TFC games? In the US? Have you ever been to Europe or South America or anywhere else where they are passionate about soccer? In most stadiums the supporters groups may lead the chants but at least 90% of the others in attendance are singing along. And yes the problem at Impact games is that the 98% of the audience is quiet coupled with the fact that USL soccer is of a poor level and the Impact play a very boring defensive style.

[Grizzly]

quote:Originally posted by Free kickI don't think that the problem is the the rest of the crowd is quiet. Of course they are. In most stadiums its the supporters sections that is responsible for the atmosphere at most games anyways.

In most stadiums where? In Canada except for TFC games? In the US? Have you ever been to Europe or South America or anywhere else where they are passionate about soccer? In most stadiums the supporters groups may lead the chants but at least 90% of the others in attendance are singing along. And yes the problem at Impact games is that the 98% of the audience is quiet coupled with the fact that USL soccer is of a poor level and the Impact play a very boring defensive style.