Montreal returns home for Canadian Championship semifinal this Wednesday
COMMERCE CITY, Colorado – The Montreal Impact was defeated 6-3 by the Colorado Rapids, Saturday night at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
“It was a bit of an odd game,” said Impact head coach Rémi Garde. “There wasn’t a lot of rhythm. In the first half, especially offensively, we weren’t able to make an important impact on the game. All in all, however, our weaknesses off set pieces were too important to hope for any other type of result.”
Impact opens the scoring
The Impact was able to take the lead in the 18th minute thanks to an own goal from Colorado striker Kei Kamara. After a corner was swung in by midfielder Saphir Taïder, Kamara jumped in front of centre-back Zakaria Diallo to clear the danger, finding the back of his own net instead to put the Impact in the lead.
However, the hosts were able to tie things up three minutes later, in the 21st minute, when a set piece swung in from the left side was eventually deflected off Evan Bush and into the net.
In the 35th minute, after a long consultation with video review, the referee awarded a penalty to the Rapids after an Impact midfielder clipped a Colorado player in the box. Kamara stepped up to take the shot, beating goalkeeper Evan Bush with a well-placed shot.
The Impact was able to get in behind the defense in the 38th minute, when Taïder found Lassi Lappalainen piercing the box from the left side, but his shot from in close was blocked by goalkeeper Tim Howard.
Colorado was able to double its lead in first half stoppage time, thanks to another goal from Kamara. After a cross from Sam Nicholson was touched by Bush onto the crossbar, Kamara was first on the rebound, knocking it into the bottom right corner on his first touch.
Two minutes later, Colorado was able to make it 4-1, this time off a corner swung in by Jack Price. Midfielder Diego Rubio was first on the ball at the near post, knocking it past Bush right before the half-time whistle.
“We did not play a good game, it has to be said”, claimed full-back Zachary Brault-Guillard. “We lacked rigour. We have to think about our upcoming game. We’ll have to be very strong mentally and to put our head up, as we have two busy weeks coming up. We have to find the form we showed at the start of the season.”
Comeback falls short
Rémi Garde’s men fought to get back into the game upon returning to the locker room and ended up getting one back in the 55th minute. Substitute Matthieu Choinière made an immediate impact, fighting to keep the ball near the touchline before finding Maxi Urruti at the top of the box. The Argentine was able to pick out the right corner, beating goalkeeper Clint Irwin with a curled shot inside the post. This was Choinière’s first career assist in MLS.
Choinière continued to make a difference in the second half, piercing through two defenders and into the box before being fouled by midfielder Kellyn Acosta, drawing a penalty in the 76th minute. Taïder stepped up to the spot, beating Irwin to score his eighth goal of the season.
Unfortunately for Montreal, its comeback was cut short two minutes later, in the 78th minute, the Rapids taking advantage of another corner swung in by Price again. This time, it was Andre Shinyashiki who was first on the ball, heading in past Bush to make it 5-3.
Kamara finally completed his hat-trick in the 90th minute, getting on the end of another cross by Price and heading it past Bush.
“It hurts a lot, but we still have everything to play for,” said defender Daniel Lovitz. “This is obviously a performance we’ll look at again and take something from it that will hopefully point us in the right direction and improve us.”
Upcoming games
The Impact will host the first leg of the Canadian Championship semifinals on Wednesday, August 7, at 7:30pm at Stade Saputo (TICKETS – 98.5, TSN 690), before heading back on the road in MLS to take on the Chicago Fire at Seatgeek Stadium on Saturday, August 10, at 9pm EDT (TVA Sports, 98.5, TSN 690).
MTL – GK-Evan Bush; D-Zachary Brault-Guillard, Zakaria Diallo, Jukka Raitala, Daniel Lovitz; M-Orji Okwonkwo, Saphir Taïder, Shamit Shome (Micheal Azira 82’), Lassi Lappalainen (Mathieu Choinière 53'); F-Ignacio Piatti (Ken Krolicki 67’), Maximiliano Urruti
Subs not used – Clément Diop, Anthony Jackson-Hamel, Clément Bayiha, Rudy Camacho
COL – GK-Tim Howard (Clint Irwin 46’); D-Keegan Rosenberry, Lalas Abubakar, Sam Vines, Tommy Smith (Danny Wilson 76’); M-Andre Shinyashiki, Diego Rubio, Jack Price, Kellyn Acosta, Sam Nicholson (Jonathan Lewis 72’); F-Kei Kamara
Subs not used – Kofi Opare, Cole Bassett, Dillon Serna, Nicolas Mezquida
GOALS
MTL – Kamara (CSC) 18’
COL – Bush (CSC) 21’
COL – Kei Kamara (PEN) 36’
COL – Kei Kamara (Shinyashiki) 45’+1’
COL – Diego Rubio (Price) 45’+4’
MTL – Maximiliano Urruti (Choinière) 55’
MTL – Saphir Taïder (PEN) 76’
COL – Andre Shinyashiki (Price) 78’
COL – Kei Kamara (Price) 90’
CAUTIONS
COL – Lalas Abubakar 56’
COL – Kellyn Acosta 75’
MTL – Ken Krolicki 83’
