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The Impact is finally finding ways to win some games. After beating C.D. Fas last time around 1-0 at Saputo Stadium, the Impact travelled to El Salvador to try and repeat the feat on Wednesday night. They had to do it without Hassoun Camara, who was suspended for one match, and without Frank Klopas, who was also suspended after being kicked out of the last game against the El Salvadorans.
For the Impact, a second win in the CONCACAF Champions League would put them in the forefront of their group. In the middle of a very bad season, the Impact is making a point to find some success in the CONCACAF to try and build up their confidence.
"Last year we went down to Guatemala and didn't get the result we needed," said team captain Patrice Bernier prior to the game. "We have to win in El Salvador and then face New York the last two games with the advantage of having grabbed points early. Last time around, we won one, lost one and essentially put the cards in the other teams' hands. We need to grab a result."
Justin Mapp did not make the trip to El Salvador with an apparent injury and Piatti got his second start with the Impact in the away leg. After earning his first shutout in his MLS career Saturday against the Fire, Bush got the start over Perkins.
The Opening 45
The Impact started the game beautifully with a play that put them up by one in the 7th minute. It came almost out of nothing. Piatti gave a nice little pass with the outside of his foot to Di Vaio outside of the box. He turned, with time, and fed Romero on the run, who had no problem left-footing the ball into the bottom corner. The Impact had one of the best starts to a game this season, and was up by one.
The El Salvadorans barely had time to react when the Impact scored again just a minute later. The Impact was up by two eight minutes in.
It all started in the Impact half from Di Vaio, who’s nifty touch found an open Duka in the middle of the pitch, who wasted no time in launching a ball up the left side towards Piatti. Piatti calmly controlled the ball on the edge of the box, outwitted two defenders, and gave a pass to Di Vaio that the Italian would never miss. He put it away easily to put the Impact up by two. The Piatti-Di Vaio connection was looking better and better.
Piatti almost made it three in the 11th minute after deeking a defender on the edge of the box and shooting a bullet towards goal, but it was pushed aside. Piatti was having an exceptional start to the game, something I’m sure Impact fans were celebrating as they watched this one.
Evan Bush made a great save in the 13th minute off a corner, crossing the goal to punch it out convincingly. This game was off to a wild start. Up and down soccer, as if it was the 85th minute of a thriller.
The game slowed down considerably as of the 20th minute, the Impact now in full control of the game. The 14-player roster that C.D. Fas brought to Montreal did much better than they were doing so far tonight.
But C.D. Fas made it a game in the 32nd minute off a few lucky bounces that saw the ball pass Bush and enter the net. A short corner found its way to Morán, who one-timed a shot that deflected off two players before finding its way in the net. The score was now 2-1, and the El Salvador club was back in it in front of their fans.
The half ended with the Impact up 2-1. The Impact played a much better half and could have been up by more, and perhaps had the opportunity to rest some of their key players. But for now, there was still a game to be won, and with only one goal separating the two sides, it was still anybody’s game.
The Second Half
The second half started as well for the El Salvadorans as it did for the Impact in the first half. Penatly shot in the 49th minute, just four minutes in. The problem is that Jonathan Águila, the Fas player that was fouled, wasn’t actually fouled. No one actually touched him. As he made his way into the box and cut in, he fell, and the referee thought Ouimette had tackled him. Out of nothing, C.D. Fas now had the opportunity to tie the game.
And that’s exactly what they did. The Fas player calmly slotted the ball past Bush, who chose wrong. It will be interesting to see how the Impact will answer to the horrible luck they had to start the second.
C.D. Fas almost completed the comeback in the 57th minute off a beautiful shot from Moscoso. His bullet with the outside of his left foot from way out went just over the bar. Piatti had a chance of his own a minute later on a defensive mishap but he failed to finish the job.
The horrible penalty called was amended in the 59th, when Piatti earned the Impact a penatly shot on what looked like very sloppy defending from Fas near the six-yard box. After seeing the replay, its safe to say that the referee made two bad calls tonight.
Di Vaio stepped up and squeezed it past the keeper, putting the Impact back on top of this five-goal game. Bernier, who was the Impact’s designated penatly kicker last year, cheered with the Italian all the same.
In the 73rd minute, the job was going to get much harder for the Impact. Felipe, already sitting on a yellow, earned himself another yellow off a foul near the Impact box that tripped the Fas mid. For the second straight time in the Concacaf, the Impact would have to end the game with ten men. On the ensuing free kick, the shot went just wide past Bush.
The refereeing tonight was questionable at best. There were the two penalty shots and the Felipe red card that were definitely controversial calls. In the 82nd, the referee made another, giving Issey a yellow card for faking in the box after what looked like a clear foul.
The game would end without much more in it, the Impact taking it 3-2. The Impact’s next Champions League game comes on September 17th when they host the New York Red Bulls.
"We knew it would be difficult so we're very happy to get the three points against a good team like C.D. FAS," said Impact assistant coach Mauro Biello. "We're now on top of the group and we'll have to prepare for two tough games against New York. Tonight, we showed tremendous character before and after the red card. We had to make some changes during the game and everybody helped and reacted well."
Man of the Match
Marco Di Vaio
This is definitely not the goal-scoring machine we knew last year, but there are improvements in Di Vaio’s game, and they were showcased tonight. The Italian forward scored two goals, and was constantly finding the spaces. His vision has vastly improved from last year, and again today he connected well with the newcomer, Piatti. Defensively, Di Vaio was very present, something different from the Di Vaio we knew last year.
"We're very happy with the result because we tallied six points against that team," said Di Vaio. "We played a good game, especially the first half, by controlling the rhythm even with 10 players. We managed and reacted well during the toughest moments of the game. We will now face New York twice with more confidence."
Despite a slow second half, Piatti had an excellent first half that showcased his many talents. The Argentinean was impressive in controlling the middle and finding players on the wing. His vision on the pitch was on display tonight, and he really makes the Impact a much more dangerous team.
Montreal Impact Line-up
Di Vaio
Bernier
Piatti
Felipe
Duka
Krol
Ferrari
Romero
Ouimette
Bush
Lefevre
Impact substitutions
Mallace for Duka, Issey for Ouimettte, Tissot for Di Vaio
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