How good did that feel, taking all three points against Toronto FC. Not only is the Impact starting a two-week period without games – due to the international break – with the winds of victory in its sails, but it also beat our sworn enemy on the opposite end of highway 20 (!) for a second time in three meetings, earning the shutout to boot.
Rémi Garde’s Bleu-blanc-noir, aligned in a 3-5-2 formation, gave Toronto a dose of its own medicine: three central defenders, a congested midfield, and compact lines throughout, but the defense, at the end of the day, made the biggest difference. And if the collective performance was satisfying in itself for Montreal’s commander-in-chief, the work done by Jukka Raitala, Rod Fanni and Víctor Cabrera, stopping everything that Giovinco and his band of not so merry men had to throw at them, should be highlighted as well. Here are this week’s advanced stats, which include the four players named to the MLS Team of the Week.
Evan Bush: 1 shutout, 5 saves, 3 successful ‘keeper sweepings, 2 clearances, 2 crosses caught.
Saphir Taïder: 4 shots, 57 successful passes, 18 of those ending in the final third, for a 93% success rate, 1 chance created, 1 successful cross, 4 dribbles completed, 3 tackles won, 2 interceptions, 10 duels won, 3 fouls suffered, 13 recoveries, 83 touches.
Rod Fanni: 30 successful passes, one of those ending in the final third, for a 91% success rate, 1 tackle won, 1 duel won, 4 interceptions, 9 recoveries, 5 clearances, 45 touches.
Nacho Piatti: 6 shots, 23 passes completed, 8 of those in the final third, for a 68% success rate, 4 chances created, 1 successful cross, 6 dribbles completed, 1 tackle completed, 1 interception, 8 duels won, 9 recoveries, 61 touches.
Jeisson Vargas: 1 goal, 2 shots, 21 successful passes, 7 of those ending in the final third, for a 91% success rate, 2 chances created, 2 tackles won, 4 duels won, 1 interception, 5 recoveries, 38 touches.
