Tony Donatelli scored twice and assisted on another to lead the Montreal Impact to a 4:1 win over Joe Public Wednesday and all but ensure the club a place in the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals.
The second consecutive victory away from home improved Montreal to 10 points atop Group C.
"I think from the beginning nobody expected us to do too much in the tournament," Donatelli said. "The guys in the lockerroom had faith in each other though, and we showed through the first four games what this team is really capable of." Kerry Noray scored the lone goal for Joe Public, lost its third and remained in last with three points.
Two clubs from each group advance to the quarterfinals in February-March 2009.
Combining both domestic and Champions League play, the match was the Impact’s fourth in eight days in October and 10th in 22 days dating back to the Impact’s first group stage game against the islanders on 17 September.
Fatigue from the packed schedule and heavy travel factored into Montreal’s disappointing exit last weekend from the semifinals of the United Soccer Leagues First Division playoffs.
Despite the fatigue, Montreal lead in the fifth minute when Placentino took a pass inside the penalty area from Donatelli, and sent a low shot by Joe Public goalkeeper Alejandro Figueroa that went through the netting.
Four minutes later, Joe Public striker Kerry Noray took advantage of the Impact’s shoddy defense to equalize.
Joe Public capitalized on the Impact’s inability to clear a loose ball from the front of its goal and sent it forward to Noray, who beat Impact goalkeeper Matt Jordan with a high drive.
Donatelli then restored the Impact lead for good in the 12th minute.
The American took a long cross-field pass from midfielder Leonardo di Lorenzo, curled into the penalty area and sent a left-footed drive by Figueroa.
After scoring three goals in the first 13 minutes, both teams settled until the Impact increased its lead to 3:1 just before halftime.
Joey Gjertsen came in along the right wing and dribbled the ball around the oncoming Figueroa before finding Byers in front of the gaping goal for an easy tap in the 43rd.
Keith Griffith’s side had chances to cut the lead on a few occasions, but couldn’t finish.
The second half was quiet compared to the first, but any chance of a clean sheet was spoiled when Donatelli added his second goal off a pass from Gjertsen.
Joe Public failed to solve the Impact’s defense for the second time in as many games and will look to regroup when it faces Atlante at home on 21 October. Meanwhile, Montreal will return home to Stade Saputo to face Olimpia that same day.
Joe Public: - 1-Alejandro Figueroa, 20-Christopher Harvey, 19-Carlyle Mitchell (30-Silas Spann 46th), 13-Jason Springer, 23-Keyeno Thomas, 8-Dale Saunders, 11-Wolry Wolfe, 14-Roen Nelson, 16-Kerry Noray, 9-Arnold Dwarika (17-Kerry Baptiste 63rd), 10-Lyndon Andrews (7-Shane Calderon 65th).
Coach: - Derek King.
Montreal Impact: - 1-Matt Jordan, 18-Leonardo Di Lorenzo, 24-Simon Gatti, 26-Cédric Joqueviel, 16-Stefano Pesoli, 3-Tony Donatelli, 12-Sandro Grande, 28-Peter Byers, 17-Joey Gjertsen, 7-David Testo (5-Nevio Pizzolitto 45th), 9-Rocco Placentino (21-Félix Brillant 67th).
Coach: - John Limniatis.
IMPACT 4 JOE PUBLIC FC 1
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinité-et-Tobago – L’Impact de Montréal a défait Joe Public FC par la marque de 4-1, mercredi, dans le cadre de son quatrième match dans la phase des groupes de la Ligue des Champions de la CONCACAF, au Stade Hasely Crawford, à Trinité-et-Tobago.
Avec cette victoire, combinée à un gain du Atlante FC ce soir contre le CD Olimpia, l’Impact serait officiellement qualifié pour la ronde quarts de finale de la Ligue des Champions de la CONCACAF.
Rocco Placentino (4e minute) Tony Donatelli (12e et 78e) et Peter Byers (43e) ont marqué pour l’Impact, alors que Kerry Noray (9e) a inscrit le seul but pour la formation des Caraïbes.
"C’est une très belle victoire grâce à un effort important de toute l’équipe," a déclaré l’entraîneur-chef John Limniatis. "Lorsque tu marques quatre buts, tu as d’excellentes chances de gagner. Encore une fois ce soir, nous avons bien fait aussi défensivement. On a encore prouvé à beaucoup de monde que nous avons une bonne équipe, qui peut se qualifier pour la prochaine ronde."
"Nous sommes contents du résultat ce soir, mais aussi de s’être presque assuré de passer à la prochaine ronde," a déclaré Donatelli. Nous sommes vraiment fiers de nous pour ce que nous avons accompli."
Le milieu de terrain Rocco Placentino a ouvert la marque dès la 4e minute de jeu. De l’intérieur de la surface de réparation, Placentino a dévié sur réception le centre bas de Tony Donatelli, venant du flanc droit, battant le gardien du Joe Public FC Alejandro Figueroa à sa droite, près du poteau.
Joe Public FC a ensuite créé l’égalité à la 9e minute, alors que l’Impact était congestionné dans son territoire. L’attaquant Kerry Noray, seul sur le côté droit de la surface de réparation, a battu le gardien de l’Impact Matt Jordan à sa droite, d’un tir à bout portant.
Le milieu de l’Impact Tony Donatelli a marqué le but vainqueur à la 12e minute. Posté sur le côté droit, Donatelli a réceptionné une longue passe de Leonardo Di Lorenzo, a dribblé sur quelques mètres vers l’axe, puis a déjoué le gardien du Joe Public d’un tir précis du pied gauche.
En fin de première demie, l’attaquant Peter Byers a marqué le but d’assurance. Sur la séquence Joey Gjertsen a battu le gardien du Joe Public, qui s’était avancé vers lui, puis a effectué un centre vers Byers. Ce dernier a marqué dans une cage déserte en complétant le jeu près de la ligne des buts.
Donatelli a marqué son deuxième but du match vers la fin de la deuxième demie. Après avoir reçu une longue passe en profondeur de Félix Brillant, Joey Gjertsen a attiré un défenseur, puis a remis le ballon au centre à Donatelli, qui s'est présenté seul contre Figueroa, pour inscrire son troisième but du tournoi.
Di Lorenzo, qui avait raté les deux derniers matchs en raison d’une légère commotion cérébrale, a amorcé le match sur la formation partante.
Le meilleur marqueur du Joe Public Gregory Richardson a raté le match en raison d’une suspension d’un match, tandis que l’entraîneur-chef du Joe Public Keith Griffith a manqué la rencontre en raison d’un virus. C’est l’entraîneur-adjoint Derek King qui dirigeait l’équipe de Trinité-et-Tobago.
L’Impact disputera ses deux derniers matchs dans la phase des groupes de la Ligue des Champions de la CONCACAF, le mardi 21 octobre contre le CD Olimpia au Stade Saputo, puis le mardi suivant, le 28 octobre, contre Atlante FC, à Cancun, au Mexique.
Source
CONCACAF.COM
IMPACT 4 JOE PUBLIC FC 1
By: Patrick Vallée, Impact de Montréal
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad & Tobago - The Montreal Impact (3-0-1; 10 pts) defeated Joe Public FC (1-3-0: 3 points) 4-1, Wednesday, in their fourth group stage match in the CONCACAF Champions League, at Hasely Crawford Stadium, in Trinidad & Tobago.
With this victory, combined with a win from Atlante FC over CD Olimpia, the Impact could officially qualified for the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal round.
Rocco Placentino (4'), Tony Donatelli (12' and 78’) and Peter Byers (43') scored for the Impact. Kerry Noray (9') scored the lone goal for the Caribbean side.
"It's a great win due to a big effort from the whole team," said Impact head coach John Limniatis. "When you score four goals, you have great chances to win. Once again tonight we did well defensively. We proved again to everybody that we have a very good team that is capable of qualifying for the next round."
"We are quite happy with tonight's result and to be almost sure to move onto the next round," said Donatelli. "We are very proud of ourselves for what we have accomplished."
Impact midfielder Rocco Placentino opened the scoring in the 4th minute of play. Posted inside the box, Placentino deflected a low cross from Tony Donatelli, which came in from the right, beating Joe Public FC goalkeeper Alejandro Figueroa to his right, not far from the post.
Joe Public FC tied the game in the 9th minute, while the Impact was bottled up in its own end. Forward Kerry Noray, all alone on the right side of the area, beat Matt Jordan with a point-blank shot to his right.
Impact midfielder Tony Donatelli scored what proved to be the winner in the 12th minute of play. Posted on the right side, Donatelli took a long pass from Leonardo Di Lorenzo, dribbled over several metres and fooled the Joe Public goalkeeper with a precise left-footed shot.
Just before halftime, forward Peter Byers scored the insurance goal for Montreal. On the play, Joey Gjertsen deked his way past the Joe Public goalkeeper, who came out to challenge, and centred the ball to Byers who scored from the goal line into a wide open net.
Donatelli scored his second goal of the game towards the end of the second half. After accepting a deep pass from Felix Brillant, Joey Gjertsen attracted a defender and centred the ball to Donatelli, who was all alone against Figueroa to score his third goal of the tournament.
Di Lorenzo, who had missed the last two matches due to a light concussion, was part of Montreal's starting eleven.
Joe Public FC's leading scorer, Gregory Richardson, missed the match as he was serving a one-game suspension. Head coach Keith Griffith also missed the match because of a virus, giving way to assistant coach Derek King.
The Impact will play its final two CONCACAF Champions League group stage games on Tuesday, October 21 against CD Olimpia at Saputo Stadium, as well as the following Tuesday, October 28, against Atlante FC in Cancun, Mexico.