MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact topped USL side Harrisburg City Islanders 1-0 on Friday afternoon, at Stade Saputo, in reserve league action. Midfielder Felipe scored the winning goal in the first half.
Maxim Tissot, making a deep run down the left flank, played the ball back to the top of the box with a low cross, where Felipe sliced a one-timer to the far post in the 19th minute.
“It was important for a lot of our players to play after a long rest period and prepare for Vancouver next week," said Impact assistant coach Nikolaos Kounenakis. "We also wanted to see our new player Gorka (Larrea), and give some playing time to some of our new guys like Futty (Danso) and Mechack (Jérôme). I thought this was a good test for them."
The Islanders hit the post three times throughout the contest. In the 29th minute, midfielder Cris Hernandez’s shot from the top of the box deflected off an Impact defender and bounced off the crossbar. Then, forward Aaron Wheeler, on loan from the Philadelphia Union, took advantage of a quick replay but hit the far post to Bush’s left in the 50th minute. In the 73rd minute, Jimmy McLaughlin broke in on goal only to watch his shot hit the post far side as well.
With 18 minutes left to play, Issey Nakajima-Farran used a step over to free up his left-foot and fired a shot that forced the Islanders’ keeper into making a nice stop, diving short post. Ten minutes later, the Canadian international switched a long ball to Tissot opposite wing, but his cross in the box was missed by Santiago Gonzalez.
Spanish midfielder Gorka Larrea made his Impact debut, going the full 90 minutes, while Academy player Charles Joly played the final 45 minutes.
Lineups
MTL – GK-Evan Bush; Mechack Jérôme, Adrian Lopez, Matteo Ferrari (Futty Danso 45’), Maxim Tissot; M-Gorka Larrea, Patrice Bernier (Wandrille Lefèvre 45’, Heath Pearce 90’), Issey Nakajima-Farran, Felipe (Charles Joly* 45’), Andrés Romero (Karl W. Ouimette 45’); F-Santiago Gonzalez
Subs not used: GK-Maxime Crépeau; F-Jack McInerney
*Impact U23
HAR – GK-Nick Noble (Brian Sylvestre 24’); D-Raphael Cox, Matt Bahner, Richie Marquez, Colin Zizzi (Garett Pettis 82’); M-Yann Ekra, Jose Barill, Cris Hernandez, Jimmy McLaughlin; F-Morgan Longley, Aaron Wheeler
Subs not used: Danny DiPrima, David Flynn
Goal
MTL – Felipe (Tissot, Romero) 19’
Cautions
MTL – Romero 44’
MTL – Joly 59’
HAR – Barill 62’
MTL – Lopez 70’
