First international match for the Montreal Impact.

The Montreal Impact has qualified themselves to represent Canada at the very first CONCACAF champions league tournament a month ago and were playing their first preliminary round match this week.

Their first opponent, the Real Esteli FC from Nicaragua, was at the Saputo stadium in the first of two legs to advance to the next round. Nobody in Canada knew what to expect from this club as they play in an unknown league in Nicaragua.

Even if Montreal dominated the game, the result was a 1-0 victory on a goal by Joey Gjertsen at the 42nd minute. Gjertsen struck a missed clearing by a defensemen in the left corner of the goal.

The second leg between the two teams will be played on September 2nd in the Honduras because Nicaragua doesn't have a stadium good enough for the FIFA rules. The winner of the aggregate will be qualified in a group of four teams that will compete during the second part of September.

(Picture: Joey Gjertsen, Canadian Press.)