Impact hangs on for first win of the season in opening game
As the referee put the whistle between his lips for the last time, Saturday night at Avaya Stadium, signaling the end of the first game of the season, a sense of relief washed over the Montreal squad. If year one of the Rémi Garde era kicked off with defeat, year two was different, the coach’s troops managing a tough, come-from-behind win against the San Jose Earthquakes away from home.
It took a strong collective effort from the Bleu-blanc-noir through 90 minutes of play, highlighted by two moments of individual brilliance on both the Impact’s goals to secure all three points in the opening game. It’s still early of course, but if Montreal can replicate this type of performance through most of its road games, it should manage more than the three away wins they secured in 2018. For now, here are your advanced stats from the season opener:
Saphir Taïder: 1 goal, 1 assist, 4 shots, 2 on target, 25 successful passes, including 7 in the final third, for an 83% success rate, 2 dribbles completed, 1 clearance, 6 duels won, 4 chances created, 62 touches.
Victor Cabrera: 27 successful passes, including 2 in the final third, for a 79% success rate, 2 shots, 3 clearances, 8 headed clearances, 4 interceptions, 3 tackles won, 11 duels won, 57 touches.
Zakaria Diallo: 1st MLS regular season game, 1 assist, 34 successful passes, including 6 in the final third, for a 74% success rate, 3 clearances, 1 tackle won, 1 interception, 7 duels won, 1 chance created, 60 touches.
Nacho Piatti: 1 goal, his 64th in MLS regular season, 24th on the road, 19 successful passes, including 7 in the final third, for a 79% success rate, 3 dribbles completed, 1 clearance, 1 tackle won, 9 duels won, 1 chance created, 48 touches.
