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The Canadian Press - ONLINE EDITION

Impact see victory at MLS pre-season tournament as confidence-builder

By: Bill Beacon, The Canadian Press

Posted: 02/26/2013 5:37 PM | Comments: 0 | Last Modified: 02/26/2013 7:26 PM

MONTREAL - It was only pre-season, but the Montreal Impact see their victory in the Disney Pro Soccer Classic tournament as a good sign for the coming Major League Soccer season.

The Impact went undefeated in the eight-team event in Orlando, Fla., topping the Columbus Crew 1-0 in the final on Sunday.

Captain Davy Arnaud called it "huge."

"We know it was just a pre-season tournament, but we see it as more than that," Arnaud said Tuesday. "Every time you're out there, you represent the club.

"And no matter what people say about it being pre-season, you develop winning as a habit. We've started off the year in a good way."

They hope to carry that into their regular season opener Saturday night in Seattle. The Sounders led MLS in attendance in 2012.

The Impact were an easy mark in last year's Disney Classic, when former coach Jesse Marsch was still getting to know the collection of players he had assembled for the club's expansion season in MLS.

New coach Marco Schallibaum had a group with few personnel changes from last season and it showed in the results as they qualified for the final with wins over Kansas City and Tampa Bay of the NASL and a draw against D.C. United.

"It makes a big difference," Arnaud said. " I think the team's picked up really well as a group on the new coach coming in and implementing what he wants to do because we're more familiar with each other."

There are 20 players back from the squad that finished seventh in the Eastern Conference and out of the playoffs last season.

But some of them joined the team during the 2012 campaign, including striker Marco Di Vaio and former AC Milan defence stalwart Alessandro Nesta.

The club feels it can be a championship contender with the group together from the start of camp. It will likely have to be, since Nesta and Di Vaio are in their mid-30s and may not play beyond this season.

Midfielder Andrea Pisanu, on loan from Di Vaio's former Italian Serie-A club Bologna, and Argentine Andres Romero are the notable additions from last season. Romero was acquired during camp and isn't expected to be match fit before the team's home opener March 16 against Toronto FC.

Montreal scored seven goals, including three from Di Vaio, and allowed only three in four tournament games at the Disney Classic.

"From the get-go you want to win, even if it's pre-season," said midfielder Patrice Bernier. "The coach had two objectives: to get to the final and to win the final and we managed that, which says a lot about the team.

"We can't say we played fantastic soccer, but we at least showed character and didn't give up. Even when we weren't playing well, we weren't on the panic button. So the fact that we won is very good for the mindset and a confidence builder for the start of the season."

Schallibaum has not announced his starting 11 for Seattle, but the squad that played the tournament final, which was still together at practice on the team's return to Montreal, had 10 holdovers from last season. Pisanu was the only newcomer in midfield.

The likely first 11 has Troy Perkins in goal; Hassoun Camara, Alessandro Nesta, Matteo Ferrari and Jeb Brovsky on defence; Bernier as defensive midfielder; Pisanu, Felipe Martins, Arnaud and Justin Mapp in midfield; and Di Vaio at forward.

Schallibaum said he may make a change or two depending on what he sees watching Seattle games on video. He will decide the starting 11 by Friday.

He must also choose which of the 24 roster players will make the trip. Rather than fly back and forth, the club will remain on the west coast to prepare for their second regular season game a week later in Portland.

"We must respect every opponent but also not be afraid," said Schallibaum. "We know there's (going to be) 50,000 people in Seattle.

"It's difficult, but we must also go with good body language because we know we're a good team. There's a lot ahead of us Saturday, but we must be strong mentally."

The Impact won only twice in 17 away games last season (2-12-3), but were 10-4-3 at home, including a 4-1 win in their only meeting with the Sounders on June 16.

Left-side midfielder Blake Smith, taken eighth overall in the Super-Draft, signed a contract on Monday, but another draft pick, midfielder Fernando Monge, was cut.

"It's a relief, but now I have to keep working hard," said 22-year-old Smith. "I tried not to focus on that. I felt all would fall into place if I performed."

The fate of another draft pick, goalkeeper Brad Stuver, is up in the air. The team will sign either Stuver or a goalie from their academy, Maxime Crepeau, who is currently away with the Canadian under-20 team. Perkins is the starter with veteran Evan Bush as back-up.

Two others from the team's academy, 24-year-old French midfielder Wandrille Lefebvre and 20-year-old left fullback Maxim Tissot of Gatineau, Que., signed contracts on Tuesday.

Defender Karl Ouimette of Terrebonne, Que., was the first academy player to make the MLS squad last season.

The team also let go Eber, a Brazilian who had been on a tryout.

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