MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact lost 1-0 to the New England Revolution on Saturday afternoon at Stade Saputo. Despite the loss, the Impact remains in fourth spot in the Eastern Conference standings, just two behind 3rd seed Houston Dynamo and is still in the hunt for its first ever playoff spot.
The Revs’ scored the game’s lone goal in the 31st minute when defender Jose Goncalves got on the end of a low cross through the six yard box, pounding home the loose ball to the top corner, past Perkins outstretched right hand.
- WATCH: Full game highlights
Post-game comments
“It’s hard to define what went wrong after a game like this, but what I can say is that we were not good enough today,” said Impact head coach Marco Schällibaum. “I think the will was there, but the quality was not today.”
“The other teams know how we play now, so they make adjustments,” added Felipe. “We trained a lot this week for this game, but it didn’t work, so we have to come back, sit down and talk a little bit to figure out the problems we are having right now.”
“Our backs are against the wall right now,” said Patrice Bernier. “It’s not over yet for us, but we have to turn things around quickly. We have to make adjustments quickly and we still have three games ahead of us.”
Other highlights
In the 10th minute, Revs’ midfielder Lee Nguyen got on the end of a clearance from a corner kick and fired a long distance shot, short side, but Perkins dove to his right to knock the ball out of bounds in the 40th career start in an Impact uniform.
The Revs’ were forced to make an early change in the 23rd minute after Saer Sene got caught up between a couple of Impact defenders and was forced to leave the game on a stretcher after suffering a severe ankle injury.
In the 41st minute, on a 2-on-2 break, Romero dribbled to the top of the 18 before playing Di Vaio into the box, but the Impact DP’s strike was blocked by Revs keeper Matt Reis.
Revolution captain Jose Goncalves blasted one from long range in the 49th minute, but Perkins managed to push the ball over the bar.
In the 69th minute, the Revs won a free-kick just outside the 18-yard-box, but defender Chris Tierney’s attempt bounced off the crossbar.
Defender Alessandro Nesta got onto the end of a Blake Smith corner kick in the 72nd minute, but the former World Cup winner’s header missed just wide, short post.
Impact Designated Player Hernán Bernardello made his first appearance since August 31 in Philadelphia, missing five games with a sprained ankle, while Academy product Maxim Tissot made his second career start in MLS.
Captain Davy Arnaud, making his 50th career start with the Impact, and defender Matteo Ferrari will miss Wednesday’s matchup due to an automatic one-game suspension as a result of yellow card accumulation, following cautions received in today’s match versus New England.
Upcoming games
The Impact travels to LA to take on the Galaxy this Wednesday, October 16, at 10:30pm (ET) at the StubHub Center. The Impact will return home the next day in preparation for Saturday’s matchup versus the Philadelphia Union at Stade Saputo, at 2pm ET.
Lineups
MTL – GK-Troy Perkins; D-Maxim Tissot, Alessandro Nesta, Matteo Ferrari, Davy Arnaud; M-Hernan Bernardello, Patrice Bernier (Andrew Wenger 57’), Sanna Nyassi, Andrés Romero (Felipe 57’), Justin Mapp (Blake Smith 61’), F-Marco Di Vaio
Subs not used: GK-Evan Bush; D-Wandrille Lefèvre, Karl W. Ouimette; M-Collen Warner
NE – GK-Matt Reis, D-Jose Gonçalves, A.J. Soares, Andrew Farrell, Chris Tierney; M-Lee Nguyen, Scott Caldwell, Diego Fagundez (Clyde Simms 81’); F-Saer Sene (Dimitry Imbongo 24’, Kevin Alston 63’), Juan Agudelo, Kelyn Rowe
Subs not used: GK-Bobby Shuttleworth; D-Darrius Barnes; M-Charlie Davies, Stephen McCarthy
Goal
NE – Gonçalves (Agudelo, Fagundez) 31’
Cautions
MTL – Nyassi 25’
MTL – Ferrari 45’
MTL – Romero 45’
NE – Nguyen 45+’
MTL – Wenger 70’
MTL – Arnaud 82’
