When Marco Di Vaio took the pitch to start the second half versus Philadelphia, Saturday afternoon, he looked like a man on a mission.
After a less than convincing first 45 minutes from his team, the Impact Designated Player Marco Di Vaio took things into hands and the team came back into the driver’s seat for a spot in the playoffs.
Down 1-0, the Impact entered the locker room with just four shots, none of which hit the target. The Italian striker had managed just one that missed the goal and was frustrated by a Union defence that clearly identified him as a threat, fouling him three times in the first 45.
But the former Bologna-man was determined to live up to the words he spoke at Friday’s press conference announcing his return with the club in 2014: “My work here is not done.”
Fighting off defenders who were trying to blanket the league’s top goal-scorer, Di Vaio battled through 2-on-1 defending and tough tackles, amassing eight shots in the second half.
Di Vaio’s second-half was the definition of fox-in-the-box. Fight off his defenders and finding space in tight on goal Di Vaio managed six of his eight second-half attempts came from inside the 18-yard-box.
Then he scored the goal that brought the Impact back from the brink in the 64th minute with a classic fake to the outside, curling it to the far post from inside the box.
Sometimes, an individual performance can and will inspire the rest of your team to elevate their game to another level. For those in attendance last weekend, they were treated to a second half performance of the ages by the ageless Marco Di Vaio.
