Soccer: Montreal Finally Makes an Impact in MLS

The return to their home field gave the Impact the winning touch on Sunday. Al Dannity looks back on a memorable win and examines the woes affecting their rivals Toronto FC.

Comeback spirit
The Montreal Impact continued their unbeaten home streak in Major League Soccer (MLS) with an impressive 2-0 win over the visiting Portland Timbers. The Impact have lost 5 of their 6 road games this season but 2 wins and a draw in the Olympic Stadium have seen Montreal deliver in front of their own fans. A crowd of 19,223 was on hand Sunday to witness striker Bernardo Corradi and midfielder Sinisa Ubiparipovic score the vital goals.

This was a dominant display from the Impact but victory was far from assured for most of the contest. Montreal started strongly and created several chances in the first half but failed to find the Timbers’ net. The second half started in a similarly frustrating manner before Corradi finally broke the deadlock on 76 minutes. The Italian international slotted home a penalty after Portland’s Steven Smith handled the ball. Ubiparipovic made the game safe on 84 minutes.

The Impact won’t be able to enjoy the confines of the Olympic Stadium for much longer. They will play just two more games there this season before moving to the newly renovated Saputo Stadium next door. Impressive as their brief stint in the Olympic Stadium has been, the Impact will need to start delivering performances like this more on the road if they are to make strides in this, their first season in MLS.

The only way is up
Toronto FC would pretty much trade everything for the 2-5-2 record enjoyed by the Impact. Despite their stunning journey to the CONCACAF Champions League semi-finals, Toronto has floundered in the worst way in MLS. With 7 defeats from 7 games, they have flittered away all the good will that came at the start of the year.

Toronto’s 3-2 loss at Real Salt Lake summed up all that has gone wrong with this season. A shanked penalty from Torsten Frings cost Toronto a goal and even when the breaks went their way they failed to capitalize. Two goals by Real were called back for offside but Toronto did nothing to take advantage of their good fortune. Instead they are now left adrift at the bottom of the MLS standings and one defeat away from history. A defeat at rivals Montreal in the Olympic Stadium on Wednesday would see Toronto FC equal the worst ever start in MLS history.

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