Seattle Sounders 0 – Montreal Impact 1
The Montreal Impact surprised the entire league with a one-nil victory against Seattle at CenturyLink Field on Saturday. There were plenty of chances for both sides, but the Impact were the only ones able to find the back of the net. Captain Davy Arnaud's 35th minute chip over the keeper was the difference.
Under new manager Marco Schällibaum, Montreal played a 4-1-4-1 formation, like they've been using in the pre-season Florida camp. The starting lineup was not much of a surprise. Being the first match of the season, Schällibaum almost had a full squad at his disposal.
Defenders Nelson Rivas (knee), Maxim Tissot (shoulder) and midfielder Sinisa Ubiparipovic (calf) were the only players listed on the injury report. Zarek Valentin, Wandrille Lefevre, Karl Ouimette and Blake Smith were left out of Schällibaum's 18-man game sheet.
The key to the ratings, as seems to be the logic on a scale of 1-10, is not to view it as a “grade”, as in a 6 would be a 60 or a C. The formula is that each player begins the game with a 5 and is the equilibrium from which their performance either improves or degrades moving in increments of .5.
Here is the breakdown of the starting XI:
GK - Troy Perkins - 6
As expected, he was the starting keeper for this match. The Sounders threatened Perkins's goal with 15 attempts. Three of their eight shots were on target. Perkins had to make some relatively simple stops, with two shots flying right at him. Perkins however always looked in-control throughout the 90 minutes.
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LB - Jeb Brovsky - 6
Brovsky beat out Dennis Iapichino for the starting left back spot. Coming off a great season last year, Brovsky showed much of the same attributes in this season opener. With the Impact defending more, Brovsky stayed back and fulfilled of his defensive duties. He and the rest of the back four were very hard to beat all match.
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CB - Matteo Ferrari - 7
Besides a few mishaps in the opening 10 minutes, Ferrari was back to his old self for the remaining 80 minutes. He and Nesta combined for another rock-solid performance. Ferrari made some good tackles, interceptions and even came close to scoring at the other end.
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CB - Alessandro Nesta - 7
Nesta had a similar match as Ferrari. Nesta was almost flawless during the entire 90 minutes. He and Ferrari control the back line with ease and always seem to know where to be. Nesta's age didn't seem to be a factor in this fixture. Besides being a tad slower than most league players, he is still much smarter, more physical and can read the game with his eyes closed. He lasted the entire match.
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RB - Hassoun Camara - 6.5
Having already played a few matches as a right back towards the end of last season, Camara knew exactly what he needed to do. The Frenchman played a strong match. He was normally positioned well and also completed some perfect tackles, especially the one in the Impact's own penalty area in the first half. Camara was replaced by Iapichino in the 84th minute.
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CDM - Patrice Bernier - 7 (MOTM)
Bernier had a great match as the lone defensive midfielder. The Canadian international was the link between the back line and the midfield, both offensively and defensively. Bernier led the team in recoveries and completed over 90 percent of his passes. He gets the man-of-the-match seal of approval for excelling at one of the toughest positions on the pitch. To be honest, almost any player could have been MOTM. It was one of those matches where the team's collective work led to the result.
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LM - Justin Mapp - 5
He was only on the pitch for the first half. During his time, Mapp was quiet and did not really stand-out. He gave away possession a bit more than the others, but was by no means a liability to the team. Schällibaum didn't see what he wanted from him and therefore he was replaced by Sanna Nyassi at the break.
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CM - Felipe - 6
Felipe playing in a 4-1-4-1 will most likely have less freedom than he was used to last season under Jesse Marsch. His updated position requires him to be conscious defensively and expects him to track all the way back and form the zonal block. Felipe still showed his ability to calm the match down and control the play. He had the assist on Arnaud's goal.
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CM - Davy Arnaud - 6.5
Arnaud seems to be more suited for the middle of the pitch. Last year, he was used as a right midfielder, a position that requires good pace and dribbling abilities. Arnaud's game is more centered towards the tactical and physical part instead of the technical side. Playing as a center midfielder, Arnaud attacked the goal far more and was able to score a cheeky finish in the first half. He is now responsible for the Impact's first goal in both seasons thus far.
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RM - Andrea Pisanu - 5.5
In his first official Major League Soccer match, Pisanu was decent. Whether it is because they've played on Bologna together, Pisanu and Di Vaio have good chemistry. The duo compliments each other well with their style of play. Pisanu played the flank well. He made his runs to the corner or sent in early crosses, one of which should have been converted by Di Vaio in the first half.
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ST - Marco Di Vaio - 6
The former Italian international looks revitalized after a full off-season. Di Vaio is a dangerous player, especially as a lone striker. Being alone up top, he does not have to rely on another person alongside him. Di Vaio continues to make good runs for through balls. He gets caught offside regularly, but it isn't too much of an issue. In this match, Di Vaio was not afraid to drop into his own half to collect a ball. He would control and shield the ball until his teammates made their way up the pitch. Montreal kept possession this way and this led to a few chances.
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