Three crucial points for Montreal in the playoff race
MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact came back from behind to defeat the Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2-1, Saturday night at Stade Saputo. After the visitors opened the scoring with a goal from Yordy Reyna, Evan Bush saved a penalty and an own goal from Doneil Henry, followed by Maxi Urruti’s first tally at Stade Saputo, handed the Impact all three points. The win allows Wilmer Cabera’s men to jump back into the seventh and last playoff position in the Eastern Conference.
“That’s the beauty of the game”, said Impact head coach Wilmer Cabrera. “The game can change in one second, for good or for bad. For us, in that moment, we could have been down 2-0. That could have happened. What we know, what I know, is the mentality and the attitude of the players today. I’m proud of the players and I’m happy for them. I’m sure that if we continue playing this way, we are going to have more positive than negative results.”
A show of character
The visitors tested Evan Bush early in this one, in the third minute, when Yordy Reyna found some space in front of the box and tried a long-range shot, but the American goalkeeper was well-positioned to make the save.
In the ninth minute, Maxi Urruti came close to opening the scoring for the hosts, intercepting a pass from goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau in Vancouver’s 18-yard box, but the ball trickled out of play before he could get a shot off.
Marc Dos Santos’ men were able to take the lead with the opening goal in the 17th minute. After Micheal Chirinos opened up for Tosaint Ricketts on the right side, the Canadian ran towards the box and crossed into the danger area, and Reyna got there first on the opposite side and slid it in past Bush.
In the 22nd minute, the referee awarded a penalty to the visitors following a foul in the box. After the Reyna missed his initial shot, Ricketts was there to slot in the rebound, but referee Ismail Elfath awarded a retake. On Reyna’s second attempt, Bush saved it again, keeping his team in the game.
“This was obviously a must-win game for us at home,” said goalkeeper Evan Bush, who finished the night with six saves. “We needed these points to get back into it and put us into position to play a game Saturday against an opponent directly in front of us. Credit to our guys for going to get those two goals before half-time and holding on for the rest of the game.”
That proved to be a game-changer, as Montreal would tie things up in the 35th minute. After Urruti was able to recover the ball to the left of Crépeau’s box, the Argentine ran towards the middle, crossing for Bojan in the box, but his pass deflected off Doneil Henry and into the back of the net.
The Impact kept up the pressure, and it paid off again in the 37th minute. Bacary Sagna, on the right side, swung in a cross towards Orji Okwonkwo in the box that ended up with Urruti, near the far post. The Argentine controlled it and unleashed a volley, beating Crépeau in the opposite corner to give the hosts the lead.
Maintaining the lead
Montreal tried extending its lead early upon returning from the locker rooms, almost getting a goal in the 47th minute when Bojan’s cross was deflected by a Vancouver defender towards the first post, forcing Crépeau to make a nice reflex save.
In the 52nd minute, Bojan was able to recover the ball in the final third, turning and running towards the defenders before passing for Saphir Taïder to his left, but the Algerian’s ensuing shot went over the bar.
A minute later, Bush was forced to make a nice save at the other end, getting a strong hand on Michael Chirinos’ header from close range to maintain his team’s lead.
Montreal had a pair of chances to double its lead halfway through the second half, the first coming when Taïder managed to find some space near midfield and send Urruti on the run behind the defense, but his shot was stopped by Crépeau. A minute later, Taïder was at it again, opting to shoot this time from outside the box, but his effort went a few inches wide of the right post.
In the 82nd minute, Bojan recovered the ball again, the Spaniard attacking the opposing box with pace before finding Lassi Lappalainen on the left. The Finn was able to beat his marker for speed, but his shot missed the opposite corner, grazing the post to Crépeau’s left.
“I think his saves from the spot kept us alive,” said midfielder Saphir Taïder. “If we conceded that second goal, the game could’ve gone differently. His saves gave us a boost of confidence, and we were able to go and score those two goals. It was definitely a turning point for us.”
Upcoming games
The Impact is in a four-game home stand, including the Whitecaps’ visit. This Saturday, August 31, at 7:30pm, D.C. United will be the visitor (TICKETS – TVA Sports, 98.5, TSN 690). Then, after the international break, FC Cincinnati will visit Montreal for the very first time on Saturday, September 14, at 7:30pm (TICKETS – TVA Sports). To close out this sequence at home, the Impact will host Toronto FC for the first leg of the Canadian Championship final on Wednesday, September 18, at 7:30pm (TICKETS).
LINE-UPS
MTL – GK-Evan Bush; D-Bacary Sagna, Jukka Raitala, Rudy Camacho, Daniel Lovitz; M-Samuel Piette, Saphir Taïder, Lassi Lappalainen, Bojan, Orji Okwonkwo (Shamit Shome 68’); F-Maximiliano Urruti (Jorge Corrales 90+3’), Bojan (Ken Krolicki 84’)
Subs not used – Clément Diop, Zachary Brault-Guillard, Clément Bayiha, Ballou Tabla
VAN – GK-Maxime Crépeau; D-Ali Adnan, Derek Cornelius, Doneil Henry, Jakob Nerwinski, Hwang In-Beom, Jon Erice, Michaell Chirinos (Fredy Montero 76’), Russell Teibert (Theo Bair 87’), Yordy Reyna; F-Tosaint Ricketts (Lass 82’)
Subs not used – Zac MacMath, Brett Levis, Scott Sutter, Andy Rose
GOALS
VAN – Reyna (Chirinos, Ricketts) 17’
MTL – Henry OG 35’
MTL – Urruti (Sagna) 37’
CAUTION
MTL – Urruti 51’
