One of the best kept secrets in all of Major League Soccer is finally out: the Montreal Impact are for real. On Thursday the Impact secured their first-ever playoff win and the first-ever series win for Canadian side with a convincing 3-0 victory over Toronto F.C. at Stade Saputo.
Defender Patrice Bernier (19′), midfielder Ignacio Piatti (33′,) and forward Didier Drogba (39′) all scored for the Impact in the first-half to give Montreal the advantage in the win. Bernier’s goal was just the second goal ever for a Canadian club team in the MLS Cup Playoffs. The first was by Darren Mattocks of the Vancouver Whitecaps back in 2012.
With the victory Montreal moves on to the Eastern Conference Semi-finals where they will face Columbus Crew SC. The first match in the two-legged playoff will take place at Saputo on Sunday at 7pm EST (FS1, TSN).
Defensive miscues were a theme throughout the first forty-five minutes with Toronto’s back four struggling to contain a potent Impact attack. TFC right-back Jackson was the first victim. In the 19th minute the Brazilian was unable to intercept a simple pass from Impact midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker. With Jackson now out of the play Piatti laid in a simple inside pass to Bernier. Bernier, the Impact original, nutmegged goalkeeper Chris Konopka to give Montreal the 1-0 advantage.
With their 401 derby-mates weakness exposed, the Impact continued to press on looking to put away a defensively challenged (58 goals allowed-most among any playoff team) but dangerous Toronto side. It would be Ignacio Piatti in the 39th minute that would put the dagger in Toronto’s heart. After having set up Bernier earlier the Argentine would get greedy with his next opportunity. Piatti capitalized on a poor trap by Toronto FC center-back Josh Williams and hit a simple shot aimed at Toronto’s far right post.
Down 2-0, one might have expected Toronto to form some sort of comeback. With the presumptive Most Valuable Player in the league, Sebastian Giovinco, and Michael Bradley on their roster Toronto has proven to be a squad that can match opponent’s goal for goal.
But Toronto’s defensive problems would quell any talk of a comeback. After ceding their second goal of the match Toronto would get with a third after center-back Justin Morrow’s clear of a Bernier shot failed to end a previous scoring threat. Bernier would actually pick up the rebound from Morrow and slide in a cross to Drogba on the near post. The Ivorian was left unattended and thus did what he has been known to do for close to twenty years: score.
Toronto threatened in the second half with a couple of promising opportunities. Giovinco But the 3-0 gulf proved to be too much in their MLS playoff debut. Although the side did finally make the playoffs for the first time in the club’s history their issues on the back-line and the lack of production from Jozy Altidore stymied any opportunities for a late season run. The question moving forward for Toronto will either be finding players to fit around Giovinco or finding a lucrative deal for the Italian national team player.
Meanwhile for Montreal their road is much clearer. Having now erased Canada’s curse and having made the final of the CONCACAF Champions League final in the same season the Impact have to be considered one of the favorites in the MLS Cup race.
