Defender Nevio Pizzolitto scored the first Impact goal in the 23rd minute. On a cross from the right flank from Leonardo Di Lorenzo in the six-yard area, forward Roberto Brown headed the ball, then goalkeeper Chris McClellan deflected it on the crossbar, and on the final action, Pizzolitto jumped on the rebound and scored with a header.
"It's very special to make it to the semifinals," declared Pizzolitto, who became the second player in Impact history to reach 2,000 minutes played in the playoffs. "We are playing very well now and we are confident on the field. We scored a very important goal because we were starting to play on our heels after their goal."
Midfielder Tony Donatelli scored the insurance goal of the series at the 74th minute, by completing a long sequence of passes in the Battery territory. Donatelli took a strike inside the penalty box upon reception, after accepting a short pass from Roberto Brown. His low shot beat McClellan to his right.
"Our second goal was to the level of the game we played, meaning extraordinary," declared midfielder Patrick Leduc. "We wanted to play this way by keeping the ball and that's how we scored the second goal. We definitely took control of the midfield. We kept them from making passes between our lines and we took advantage of the spaces they gave us."
The game referee Mark Kadlecik took a controversial decision at halftime by ejecting Impact head coach Marc Dos Santos for having walked towards the officials on the field without using inappropriate language. The Impact will appeal this decision.
"We followed the game plan entirely," declared Dos Santos. "We are really happy with the result tonight. The players showed lots of character and our leaders were perfect. We are playing very well these days and it's certainly not the referees who are going to stop us."
The Battery had opened the score at the 16th minute. On a free kick situation, midfielder Stephen Armstrong made a cross to the far post that Ian Fuller deflected with a header, giving no chance to Impact goalkeeper Matt Jordan.
Jordan registered the victory after facing nine shots. He notably stood out at the 82nd minute by stopping defender Frankie Sanfillipo’s powerful strike with a dive to his right.
Midifelders Joey Gjertsen and Mauro Biello, as well as defender Adam Braz did not play. Gjertsen and Biello suffered lower body injuries in the first game of the series, while Braz did not travel with his teammates for personal reasons.
Simon Gatti replaced Braz on the right flank, while Patrick Leduc started the match in Gjertsen's position.
In the semifinals, the Impact will face the Puerto Rico Islanders (3rd), which defeated the Rochester Rhinos 5-3 on total goals. The series will start at Saputo Stadium, Thursday evening at 7:30 pm, and the return game will be played Sunday, at Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium, in Bayamon.
Tickets for the semifinal match will go on sale Monday at noon and will be available through Admission (514-790-1245 / 1-800-361-4595 / admission.com), at the Saputo Stadium ticketing office or at 514-328-3668 (group packages only).
Elsewhere in the league, the Vancouver Whitecaps (7th) advanced to the semifinals with a 1-0 aggregate goal win against the Carolina RailHawks (2nd). The Whitecaps will face in the second round the regular season champions, the Portland Timbers.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
21st minute – Following a deep pass from Simon Gatti, forward Peter Byers unleashed a powerful low strike to the far post that went just to the left of the Battery goal.
45th minute – After accepting a short pass from Roberto Brown, Byers took a point blank shot that McClellan stopped by diving to his right.
GAME SUMMARY
PHOTOS PÉPÉ AT CHARLESTON
-30-
Source: Patrick Vallée, Montreal Impact
Info: 514-328-3668 (Ext. 227)
