A goal by Eduardo Sebrango in the 75th minute gave the Montreal Impact a 1-0 win over the Rochester Raging Rhinos in a game totally dominated by Montreal. The Impact is now unbeaten in six games including four wins at home. The game was played under hot humid conditions in front of 2,151 noisy fans.
Montreal showed grit and determination playing against their division rivals and 2001 A-league champions. Rochester could not get much going most of the night and were often stuck in their end trying desperately to stop the surging Impact forwards. Right of the bat, with game not even a minute old, Montreal midfielder Patrice Bernier got a loose ball at the edge of the Rochester box and shot a bullet towards Rhinos keeper Pat Onstad. The Canadian international just managed to steer the ball wide. It was to be a busy night for Onstad who would end up facing 17 shots in the game including 12 in the first half. Bernier had another chance in the 8th minute but shot wide. In the 14th minute Impact midfielder Ze Roberto hustled down the middle and made a perfect pass to Mauro Biello who shot point blank at Onstad from 15 feet. Once again the Rochester keeper was up to the task, somehow knocking the ball over the bar. Bernier had one more chance in the 17th minute but his side volley went wide. In the 23rd minute, Roberto once more sent a precise pass to Biello, who was not quite in position and shot wide. Just a minute later Bernier got another shot at the Rhinos goal but Onstad made the save. Sebrango had yet another chance in the 31st minute but was forced to shoot from a very tight angle right at Onstad who easily stopped it. At the end of the half Roberto set up Sebrango but the forward shot the ball well over the bar.
In the second half both teams played disorganized soccer. The Rhinos had a few chances early on but could not finish their plays. In the 61st minute, Biello sent a pass to Sebrango whose shot from five feet out rang off the post. Roberto pounced on the rebound and shot at Onstad who managed to smother the ball. Sebrango finally found the back of the net in the 65th minute. Rhinos defender Craig Demmin, in attempting to clear, shot right at Sebrango who wasted no time in sending the ball into the bottom right hand corner of the net from 10 feet out. The Rhinos played desperately but could not penetrate the Impact defense. In injury time, the referee handed out two yellow cards and a red card as play got very physical. Down to ten men, the Rhinos could not muster any kind of offence and never really got anywhere near the Impact end.
After the game Impact coach Bob Lilley, very pleased with his team's strong effort, said, " We played with a lot of conviction and a lot of enthusiasm. I really felt like we attacked in numbers." He was also quite pleased with the defense saying, " Hats off to the back four. Tonight we certainly were up to the task." Montreal goalkeeper Greg Sutton, who notched his fourth shutout of the season, was also pleased with the team effort saying, " Defensively, we've been really solid. Bob [Lilley] got us ready mentally and tactically." He faced only six shots making four saves in the game. Sebrango, who scored his team leading fifth goal of the season, simply said, "We played as a team. We were playing well."
With the win, the Impact moves to within three points of the first-place Rhinos in the Northeast division. They will play on Thursday in Toronto and face the league-leading Charleston Battery in Montreal the next night.
Lineups:
Montreal: 1 Greg Sutton (GK), 2 Adam Braz, 8 Gabriel Gervais, 13 Lloyd Barker, 14 Drew Kopp, 3 Jason DiTullio (sub. 20 Giuliano Oliviero 90th minute), 4 Nick De Santis (sub. 15 Patrick Leduc 79th minute), 10 Ze Roberto, 17 Patrice Bernier (sub. 18 Rocco Placentino 90th minute), 12 Eduardo Sebrango (sub. 7 Nicola Corneli 85th minute), 20 Mauro Biello (captain) (sub. 5 Nevio Pizzolitto 87th minute). Substitutes not used: 26 Pieter Meuleman (GK), 11 Darko Kolic.
Rochester: 25 Pat Onstad (GK), 6 Mali Walton, 3 Craig Demmin, 4 Scott Schweitzer, 11 Billy Sedgewick (sub. 8 Tommy Tanner 74th minute), 7 Temoc Suarez (sub. 16 Kalin Bankov 57th minute), 10 Stoian Mladenov (sub. 5 Yuri Lavrinenko 78th minute), 23 Lenin Steenkamp, 21 Kirk Wilson, 9 Greg Simmonds (sub. 20 Jimmy Tanner 60th minute), 22 Dan Stebbins (Sub. 15 Martin Nash 46th minute). Substitutes not used: 24 Scott Vallow (GK), 58 Carlos Zavala.
Goals: Sebrango (75th minute)
Cautions: Stebbins (Roch. 34th minute), Braz (Mtl. 55th minute), Nash (Roch. 58th minute), Gervais (Mtl. 81st minute), Lavrinenko (Roch. 90th minute), Placentino (Mtl. 90th minute).
Ejections: Schweitzer (Roch. 90th minute)
Conditions: Hot (88 degrees F) and humid. Field dry.
Attendance: 2, 151
Three stars: 1) Eduardo Sebrango 2) Ze Roberto 3) Pat Onstad
