MONTREAL -- When Wes Knight's throw-in sailed into the area in front of the Montreal goal, Greg Janicki was on the spot to leap up in the crowd of bodies and head it home.
The Whitecaps defender scored in the 88th minute to lift first-place Vancouver to a 1-0 victory over the Impact in USSF Division-2 play Wednesday night. It was a tight game between rival Canadian clubs who are headed to Major League Soccer -- the Whitecaps next season and Montreal in 2012.
"Wes Knight's got a hell of a thrown-in and we feel it will always be a threat when he puts it up there," said Janicki. "We should have put a lot more of his balls in this year. It feels nice to finally benefit from it."
One of the defenders Janicki beat to the ball was Wesley Charles, who was cut by the Whitecaps after skirmishes with two teammates and who joined the Impact two weeks ago.
"On every play he's been grabbing and pulling me," Janicki said a laugh. "At the start of the year when he was in Vancouver we did the same thing in practice.
"He was close to me. There was a big pile of people. It's every man for himself at that point."
Janicki was back after serving a one-game suspension for a red card he picked up in a 2-1 loss at home last week to Portland, which ended a nine-game unbeaten streak.
The Whitecaps (8-3-9) have not lost in five games against the Impact this season, with wins in their last two visits to Saputo Stadium after failing to win in Montreal since 2001.
"I wouldn't say we've dominated them," added Janicki. "But we got a late goal in both games to win."
Third-place Montreal (6-8-5), which won the former USL1 league title last season, ended a four-game home stand with two wins and two defeats.
"It's frustrating," said the Impact's French midfielder Philippe Billy. "A goal at the end of the match is always upsetting because we had played a pretty good match in general.
"But if they had an edge on us it was that we weren't aggressive enough. It seemed like the team was tired."
A stiff west wind blew throughout the match, favouring Vancouver when it had most of the chances in the first half and Montreal when it nearly scored in the second. But the Whitecaps got enough pressure late in the match to earn the decisive throw-in.
Impact goalkeeper Matt Jordan was back after missing 11 games with a groin injury and was tested early as Nelson Akwari took the second header after a free kick and forced the goalkeeper make a leaping save only 10 minutes in.
The Whitecaps had the early chances and two Impact were cautioned for rough play -- Antonio Ribeiro and Simon Gatti. Montreal had pressure on later in the half, with Hicham Aaboubou and Billy combining for some dangerous rushes, but none that seriously tested 'keeper Jay Nolly.
The chances picked up in the second half as Ali Gerba chipped a ball that put Ribeiro in alone, but he was too close to Nolly for a shot. David Testo sent Eduargo Sebrango in on the right side for a shot that fell on the top netting just behind the crossbar.
It was the first of five consecutive road games for Vancouver, who play at Carolina on Saturday before games in St. Louis, Minnesota and Tampa.
Defender Mouloud Akloul (ankle) and forward Randy Edwini-Bonsu (calf) remained in Vancouver with injuries.
Impact midfielder Felip Soares sat out a one-game ban, while Stephen deRoux (cheek), Rocco Placentino (groin), Leonardo Di Lorenzo (calf) and Kevin Cossette (ankle) were not available.
Entertainment Plaza - TV, Movies, Sports, Music
http://members.shaw.ca/almosthuman99
Babe Of The Month
http://members.shaw.ca/almosthuman99/babeofthemonth.html
Hunk Of The Month
http://members.shaw.ca/almosthuman99/babeofthemonthman.html
No comments:
Post a Comment