THE IMPACT IN TORONTO SATURDAY
from the Montreal Impact web site

THE IMPACT IN TORONTO SATURDAY

MONTREAL, May 9, 2003 — The rivalry between the Impact and the Lynx could reach a new level, Saturday, as the Montreal squad will face Toronto at Centennial Park Stadium in Etobicoke starting a 4 pm (live on CJAD, CKAC). "It’s their seventh year now in the A-League, they always put a good team on the field, and every year the rivalry builds and builds," said Impact captain Mauro Biello before the team’s departure, Friday. "There’s also the fact that we’re coming off a loss in Charleston, so we need to win regardless, and they’re on a high after winning against Pittsburgh on the road. Any points we get against divisional rivals are important."

Also at play is the fact that both teams have attracted players from the opponent’s city this year. The Impact has signed Chris Williams and Andres Arango, two Canadian Olympic team players who are from the Toronto area, while among Lynx additions are three former stars of the Quebec Elite Soccer League (LSEQ): Josué Mayard and Ali Ngon, both former Impact players, and Daniel Takhee, a 23-year-old Montrealer who spent the last two seasons with the Lasalle Cosmos in the LSEQ.

"Josué and Ali trained with us earlier in the off-season, there are a lot of guys who have switched teams like Lloyd Barker with us, and Giuliano Oliviero and Elvis Thomas with them, so there are several players who are out to prove something," said Biello. "And so everybody wants to win."

"There are a lot of talented players in both cities, and sometimes it’s just that they don’t fit in with one club’s system, and they do with another," pointed out Impact head coach Bob Lilley. "But I’ve always looked as Toronto as a strong team. It’ll be important to get off to a good start in the game."

The Impact hasn’t played since its 1-0 loss in Charleston, April 26, but coach Lilley says the two-week break has proven to be beneficial.

"Usually, you never want to have an open weekend, but these two weeks have been almost like a second training camp," said Lilley. "We’ve had time to work on varying our attack, on making the right decisions at the right moments. Martin Nash has come in and looked sharp, but our overall level has risen as well."

SISTO AND NEEDHAM ON CJAD
Saturday’s game will the first of a series of 12 games broadcast on CJAD, and 14 on CKAC. Dino Sisto, who is also the voice of the Canadiens, will be handling the play-by-play on CJAD, while Grant Needham, a former Impact player who was the team’s leading scorer in 1993, will provide the colour commentary.

At CKAC, the station’s soccer columnist Philippe Germain will work alongside Valerio Gazzola, who was the Impact’s head coach when Montreal won the A-League championship title in 1994. Gazzola was also a commentator for World Cup game broadcasts on RDS.

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SOURCE:
bcomm

INFO:
Stéphane Banfi
514-328-3668 (ext. 27)

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