|
|
THE IMPACT BEGINS DEFENSE OF ITS TITLE APRIL 11
MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact revealed Monday its 2010 schedule in the USSF Second Division. The Impact will begin the defense of its title Sunday, April 11 against the Aztex in Austin and will be hosting the Portland Timbers for its season home opener at Saputo Stadium on April 25.
The 2010 season will be lengthened by a few weeks compared to previous years. The season will start earlier and finish later, which will offer a more balanced game schedule. Generally, the Impact will only play one match per week with no more than two games slated on the same week.
Once again this year, Impact games at Saputo Stadium will mainly be played in the afternoon on Sundays (eight matches) and Wednesday evenings (five matches).
In 2010, the Impact will face three new expansion clubs that joined the NASL ranks: AC St. Louis, Crystal Palace Baltimore and Tampa Bay Rowdies.
All 12 new league teams will be matching up in a 30-game calendar where each club will face the eleven other teams twice during the regular season. Each club will then be playing another home-and-away series against four of these teams. The Impact will therefore play four games against some of its major rivals: Vancouver Whitecaps, Rochester Rhinos, Carolina RailHawks, as well as Crystal Palace Baltimore.
Montreal will be facing its Canadian rivals and their 2009 final playoff opponents, the Vancouver Whitecaps, June 30 and July 28 at Saputo Stadium, as well as May 15 and September 24 at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby.
The Impact will play its last season match October 3 against Austin at Saputo Stadium.
In 2010, the top two teams from both divisions will become the top two seeded teams. The first eight teams in the general standings will advance to the playoffs, which will start on October 4. The quarterfinals, semifinals and championship final will be played in an aggregate goal, home-and-away series.
2010 season tickets are currently on sale and include 15 regular season matches, two Nutrilite Canadian Championship games, two playoff matches (if the Impact qualifies), as well as an international game on September 4 at Saputo Stadium. The Montreal Impact’s opponent will be announced at a later date.
Mini-season tickets are also available for purchase for five matches, starting at $50, or ten matches from $100. Individual tickets will be on sale starting March 29 at 9 am, as well as individual tickets for the Nutrilite Canadian Championship. Dial 514-328-3668 or visit impactmontreal.com for further details.
ABOUT THE NASL
The North American Soccer League (NASL) was established in November 2009 and is currently comprised of the following nine teams: Carolina RailHawks, Crystal Palace Baltimore, Miami FC, Montreal Impact, Rochester Rhinos, AS St. Louis, Tampa Bay Rowdies and Vancouver Whitecaps and a team in Minnesota whose name is still to be determined. In 2011, these teams will be joined by teams in Atlanta and certain other cities to be named later. The NASL and its member teams are committed to building on their long tradition of providing a high level of soccer to fans across the United States and Canada in 2010 and beyond.
2010 MONTREAL IMPACT CALENDAR
1-Sunday, April 11 @ Austin
2-Friday, April 16 @ Puerto Rico
3-Sunday, April 25 vs Portland
4-Saturday, May 1 vs Puerto Rico
5-Sunday, May 9 vs Minnesota
6-Saturday, May 15 @ Vancouver
7-Wednesday, May 19 @ Portland
8-Sunday, May 30 vs Carolina
9-Sunday, June 6 vs Miami
10-Wednesday, June 9 @ Minnesota
11-Saturday, June 12 @ Tampa Bay
12-Sunday, June 20 vs Rochester
13-Saturday, June 26 @ Carolina
14-Wednesday, June 30 vs Vancouver
15-Saturday, July 3 @ Rochester
16-Saturday, July 10 @ St. Louis
17-Wednesday, July 14 vs Carolina
18-Sunday, July 18 vs Baltimore
19-Wednesday, July 21 vs St Louis
20-Wednesday, July 28 vs Vancouver
21-Saturday, July 31 @ Baltimore
22-Saturday, August 7 @ Carolina
23-Wednesday, August 11 vs Baltimore
24-Saturday, August 14 @ Rochester
25-Saturday, August 21 @ Baltimore
26-Friday, August 27 vs Rochester
INT-Saturday, September 4 vs opponent TBD
27-Saturday, September 11 @ Miami
28-Sunday, September 19 vs Tampa Bay
29-Friday, September 24 @ Vancouver
30-Sunday, October 3 vs Austin
-30-
Source: Patrick Vallée, Montreal Impact
Info: 514-328-3668 (ext. 227)
|
|
|
|
|