PACHUCA, Mexico – The Montreal Impact made history on Tuesday night, becoming the first Canadian team to earn a result on Mexican soil in the knockout phase, playing Pachuca to a 2-2 draw in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals at Estadio Hidalgo. Midfielder Dilly Duka scored both goals for the Impact.
“For our first match in 2015, it’s a very good result. We played against a very good team and two goals scored on the road in Mexico are very good,” said head coach Frank Klopas. “They did not know much about us before tonight, but it will be different in the second leg. The mentality and work ethic have been great. I am happy with the performance of the group. We played as a team tonight. It was also nice to see the fans that made the trip.”
IMFC scored the all-important first away goal in the 25th minute to open the scoring. On the play, defender Donny Toia saved the ball just before it went out for a throw in and played Dilly Duka, who was streaking down the left flank on the counter attack. After cutting inside to take on two players, Duka placed a low shot opposite side, catching Pachuca keeper Oscar Perez on his wrong foot.
Then in the 53rd minute, Justin Mapp took on two defenders down the right flank, fired a shot that was stopped by the keeper, but Duka was waiting on the doorstep to knock home his second of the game.
“The coaching staff did a great job in bringing us for two weeks here prior to this game. Fitness was not an issue at all,” said Duka. “We have a fresh team and it’s a fresh start with a group of leaders with experience and young players.”
Pachuca closed to within one when Heriberto Olvera converted a free-kick from 25 yards out in the 57th minute.
Piatti created two good scoring opportunities for himself over the next five minutes, with his first shot stopped by Perez while his second attempt went over the bar.
Second half substitute Ariel Nahuelpan found a tap in in the 68th minute when a ball was played inside the box that found the argentine striker off of a favorable bounce.
The Impact killed the last 20 minutes of the game to leave Mexico with a very well earned, hard and hard fought draw.
"It's a satisfying result," said Hassoun Camara. "We controlled the tempo well towards the end of the game and we tried to break their rhythm. We now have to finish the job in Montreal. We truly hope the 12th player will be there for us next Tuesday."
IMFC plays the decisive home leg at Olympic Stadium on March 3 at 8pm. Tickets for this historic event are available via marquonslhistoire.com.
LINEUPS
MTL: GK – Evan Bush; D – Dony Toia, Laurent Ciman, Bakary Soumare, Victor Cabrera (Hassoun Camara 70’); M - Marco Donadel (Calum Mallace 73’), Nigel Reo-Coker; Dilly Duka, Ignacio Piatti, Justin Mapp; F - Dominic Oduro (Cameron Porter 81)
PAC: GK – Oscar Perez; D – Rodolfo Pizarro, Miguel Herrera, Aquivaldo Mosquera, Heriberto Olvera; M – Erick Galaviz, Diego Juarez (Rodrigo Salinas 88’), Jurgen Damm (Hector Lopez 77’), Junior Moreira (Ariel Nahuelpan 58’), Rodrigo Lozano; F – German Cano
GOALS
MTL – Duka 25’
MTL – Duka 53’
PAC – Olvera 57’
PAC – Nahuelpan 68’
CAUTIONS
MTL – Mapp 33’
MTL – Camara 79’
PAC – Lozano 84’
MTL – Piatti 87’
PAC – Mosquera 89’
