The Montreal Impact isn’t merely a five-year-old MLS club. The Montreal Impact has more than 20 years of history written with feet and heads, on grass and indoors, in Montreal and elsewhere, since 1993. As the City of Montreal celebrates its 375th anniversary – and the club’s 25th draws nearer –, Impact Media presents the first of its weekly time capsules.
February 20, 1998
Montreal is finding its feet after a historic ice storm, countries of the world are finding their way to Nagano for the Winter Olympic Games, and the Montreal Impact has found a third straight win in indoors soccer. Winners by a score of 19-11 at the Molson Centre (!) against the Cincinnati Silverbacks, the Montreal players are visibly inspired by the hire of new coach Paul Kitson, who has yet to lose in… three games at the helm (what a coincidence). The Canadian Press praises Adolfo Melia, “the best Impact player with two two-point goals, one one-point goal and two assists for seven points.”
February 25, 2000
The Claude-Robillard Sports Complex is a welcoming home for the Impact in 2000. The team picks up a 12th win in 16 home games, walking all over leaders Milwaukee Wave in an 18-9 triumph. Chris Stathopoulos, Nick De Santis, Jocelyn Roy, Mauro Biello, Patrick Diotte and Kyt Selaidopoulos all beat the opposition ‘keeper.
February 25, 2009
“Irrésistible Impact,” screams the La Presse sports cover story. Irresistible, indeed. The Impact is playing its first competitive game in months, but it’s a dream night at Olympic Stadium as the Bleu-blanc-noir wins the first leg of its CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal series against Santos Laguna. Eduardo Sebrango, back home after some time away in Vancouver, scores both Montreal goals, sending 55,571 fans into raptures. Simply irresistible.
