Montreal Impact News Release - www.montrealimpact.com

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

CANCUN, MEXICO -- The Montreal Impact (3-1-2; 11 points) lost 2-1 against Atlante FC (3-1-2; 11 points), Tuesday at Olimpico Andrés Quintana Roo Stadium, in Cancun, Mexico. With this loss, the Impact finishes second in Group C in the CONCACAF Champions League group stage.

Impact midfielder Joey Gjertsen opened the score for the Impact at the 4th minute of play. Atlante defender Clemente Ovalle tied the game in the 13th minute and forward Gabriel Pereyra scored the game-winning goal in the 83rd minute.

Gjertsen dribbled over a good distance, then took a high shot from 25 meters out that beat goalkeeper Federico Vilar just under the crossbar. It was Gjertsens’ second goal of the tournament.

Ovalle scored the tying goal less than 10 minutes later. Ovalle took advantage of a deep pass that was poorly cleared by the Impact defense, beating with a lob Impact goalkeeper Andrew Weber, who was playing his first game in the CONCACAF Champions League.

On a corner kick situation, Pereyra gave the second goal to Atlante, scoring with a header. The ball was first redirected with the head in the six metres area, then Pereyra completed the sequence from the goal line.

Impact team captain Mauro Biello started his second game of the tournament, while defender Cédric Joqueviel was starting his third game.

Note that Atlante head coach José Guadelupe was ejected at the 77th minute of the game after arguing with the Salvadorian referee Joel Aguilar.

Defender Gabriel Gervais (blood clot) as well as midfielders Rocco Placentino (light concussion), Patrick Leduc (ankle) and David Testo (sports hernia), who underwent surgery last Thursday, had not traveled to Mexico due to injuries. Rookie defenders Alex Surprenant and Davy Uwimana, as well as Sita-Taty Matondo and Pato Aguilera also stayed in Montreal.

In the other game in Group C, Tuesday CD Olimpia defeated Joe Public FC 4-0, in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Olimpia ends third in the group with eight points, while Joe Public finishes fourth and last with three points.

The quarterfinal round, a home-and-away aggregate-goal series, will take place from February 24 to March 5. A random draw will determine the four matchups, but the date for that game has not yet been officially announced. The Impact will now face a team that finished first from Group A, B or D.

HIGHLIGHTS
21st minute – Midfielder Tony Donatelli fired a low 20-meter shot that traveled just to the left of the Mexican team’s goal.

38th minute – Impact midfielder Sandro Grande fired a high left-foot shot inside the box, but goalkeeper Federico Vilar made the save with the right hand.