TORONTO, Ontario – Two goals in under two minutes in the second half helped the Montreal Impact come back from a two goal deficit to earn a 3-3 draw with Toronto FC on Wednesday night at BMO Field, in the 4th of five meetings between these two clubs in 2013 across all competitions.
The Impact remains in first place in the Eastern Conference with 30 points from 16 games, two points ahead of the New York Red Bulls with two games in hand.
Explosive start
The Montreal Impact scored the fastest goal in its MLS history to open the scoring at the 23rd second of play. After Patrice Bernier played a long ball towards the top of the box, TFC defender Darren O’Dea played a back pass to keeper Joe Bendik that was way too short. Impact midfielder Andres Romero managed to chip the ball to the right of Bendik before running onto the ball inside the right part of the box, turning and blasting it low side, far post.
TFC responded in the 6th minute when midfielder Bobby Convey played a hard ground pass inside the box to forward Jeremy Brockie. The New Zealand international took one touch to his left side before firing the ball short side, top corner, beating Perkins with a left-footer from about 7-yards-out.
Then in the 21st minute, TFC took the lead after Brockie found a loose ball deep down the right flank following a corner kick. The striker played a cross into the six-yard-box where defender Steven Caldwell ran onto the ball and hammered a header past Perkins.
The Impact then conceded a third goal in the opening half for the first time ever in MLS three minutes later. O’Dea made up for his earlier blunder, dribbling through two Impact defenders and into the box before firing a low left-footed shot inside the far post as Perkins dove to his left.
Camara sparks the comeback
Defender Hassoun Camara scored his second goal in as many games in the 69th minute when a deep ball played into the box fell to the French defender after he jumped to fight for a header. Camara then one-timed a left-footer just inside the right post, beating a diving Bendik.
Less than two minutes later, Impact midfielder Felipe played a through ball from inside the left flank, 25-yards-out, that found Di Vaio far post. The Italian striker ran onto the ball and aptly redirected the ball first touch on the short side from 10-yards-out, fighting off his defender to score his league leading 11th goal of the season. His game-tying goal ended up as part of a team record for the fastest two goals scored by the Impact in MLS.
READ: Full match statistics
Impact head coach Marco Schällibaum and assistant coach Philippe Eullaffroy missed the game versus TFC. Both were serving one-game suspensions handed down by the MLS disciplinary committee for incidents stemming from last Saturday’s 4-3 loss to the Colorado Rapids.
Impact captain Davy Arnaud made his first start since April 27th following a concussion that kept the team’s captain out of action, taking Andrea Pisanu’s spot in the starting lineup.
Both teams will face each other one last time on October 26, at BMO Field.
Post-game comments
“I’m really happy that we came back in the game,” said Impact assistant coach Mauro Biello. “After a very difficult first half where we were played timidly, I saw several players raise their game in the second half and display a lot of character. Our players know that anything can happen in a game and that isn’t over until the last whistle. We are happy to leave Toronto with a point.”
“We did everything we could on the field to get the three points, but that point is good,” said midfielder Felipe. “We know we didn’t play well, especially in the first half, but good teams fight back and we can’t complain. We’ll have to watch the video tomorrow and be ready for another game against Chivas USA on Sunday.”
“We obviously were not happy when we got back in the locker room at halftime, but we knew we had to keep going,” added team captain Davy Arnaud. “We needed that second goal to put some pressure on them. I think we responded well in the second half.”
Next game
The team heads back to Montreal Thursday and will then take on Chivas USA on multicultural day at Stade Saputo this Sunday at 7pm ET.
Lineups
MTL – GK-Troy Perkins; D-Hassoun Camara, Matteo Ferrari, Alessandro Nesta, Jeb Brovsky; M- Davy Arnaud (Sanna Nyassi 61’), Patrice Bernier (Collen Warner 66’), Felipe, Andrés Romero; F-Daniele Paponi (Blake Smith 86’) Marco Di Vaio
Subs not used: GK-Evan Bush; D-Dennis Iapichino; M-Wandrille Lefèvre; F-Andrew Wenger
TOR – GK-Joe Bendik; D-Ryan Richter, Gale Agbossoumonde, Steven Caldwell, Darren O’Dea; M-Reggie Lambe (Danny Koevermans 84’), Matias Laba, Darel Russell (Jeremy Hall 77’), Bobby Convey; F-Luis Silva (Justin Braun 75’), Jeremie Brockie
Subs not used: GK-Stefan Frei; M-Michael Thomas; F-Emery Welshman, Andrew Wiedeman
Goals
MTL – Romero 1’
TOR – Brockie (Convey) 6’
TOR – Caldwell (Brockie) 21’
TOR – O’Dea (Silva) 24’
MTL – Camara 69’
MTL – Di Vaio (Felipe) 70’
Cautions
TOR – Russell 37’
TOR – Convey 45’
TOR – Agbossoumonde 47’
MTL – Brovsky 62’
