“Unique and Difficult” but Shamit Shome Itching to Get Back to Action...

2019 was a breakthrough season for Shamit Shome.

Involved in every one of the Impact’s MLS regular season games (19 starts, 9 apps from the bench and 6 as unused sub), it was a significant step forward from 2017 and 2018 when he made only 6 on-field appearances.

Scoring his first goal, the first in a 3-0 victory over New England Revolution in Foxboro last April when home ‘keeper Cody Cropper spilled Dan Lovitz’s free-kick, was another career milestone.

And now he finds himself in competition for midfield places with the likes of Saphir Taider, Victor Wanyama, Sam Piette, Amar Sejdic, Steve Saba and Ballou Tabla, not to mention forwards Orji Okwonkwo and Lassi Lappalainen, who can each perform in wide midfield roles.

With the general good health of the squad, thanks to the break afforded by lockdown, player availability has never been this good. It’s probably one of the best structured squads in Impact’s MLS history given the cover available in most positions.

Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

The challenge to further establish himself in the squad is one that Shome will relish. He’s a driven individual who recently successfully completed an engineering degree Concordia, studies which he combined while playing for the Impact and living away from his Edmonton home-base.

This meant Shamit’s academic celebrations had to remain low-key. Unlike other students free to return home to finish their degrees, he remained solo in his Montreal apartment; MLS requiring all its players remain in their home market throughout lockdown.

Shome shared the moment with his family back in Alberta by phone.

And now, with much more time on his hands, it’s all about football.

Like all of his team-mates down in Florida currently, Shome is simply itching to get back into competitive soccer.

“It’s very unique and very difficult, the situation we’re in right now. But we’re all happy to be here as a team with the chance to play again and get out onto the field and start playing some games, hopefully soon.

“We’re trying to match at team level. the intensity we had pre-season. We’re just getting our legs back, playing aggressively and playing with intensity.”

Now also part of Canada’s international set-up, in January Shome debuted with Les Rouges in a pair of 4-1 friendly victories over Barbados in Irvine, California, ironically on both occasions emerging from the bench to replace club-mate, Samuel Piette.

International football will not be in Shome’s immediate sights however, he’ll be more focussed on engineering victory, and perhaps another goal, against New England in Florida come Thursday evening.