BRIDGEVIEW, Illinois – The Montreal Impact embarked on an emotional roller coaster, this Saturday in Illinois, but left Toyota Park with a point after a 2-2 tie with the Chicago Fire. Matteo Mancosu and Bastian Schweinsteiger scored first for their respective teams before Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla and Luis Solignac, in the dying moments of the game, gave it its final twists.
“Although many of our players hadn’t played together before, we showed character against a very good team,” said Impact head coach Mauro Biello. “We still have to keep working on finding solutions for a number of things, and we have to continue moving forward. We’ll take the road point, and we see positives, but there’s still work to be done.”
Bedlam at Toyota Park
The home team took the lead 17 minutes in. In a dream scenario for its supporters, the Fire tallied through newly signed Designated Player Bastian Schweinsteiger, who emphatically headed home a David Accam cross following a corner kick.
Despite its best efforts, the Bleu-blanc-noir didn’t quite make a statement in the final third before halftime. Montreal’s best occasion came seconds before the break, as Dominic Oduro redirected a Marco Donadel corner kick to the far post, where Matteo Mancosu’s header wasn’t strong enough to beat goalkeeper Jorge Bava.
But the Impact pulled level seconds after the hours mark. After Donadel beautifully switched the ball over to the right flank, Chris Duvall curled in a cross to the far post. Defender Jonathan Campbell failed to head away, providing a crystal-clear path for Mancosu to nod the ball home for his second of the season.
“This group shouldn’t ever be satisfied – even with a win, there are still things to work on,” said Chris Duvall. “It’s a good road point, and taking points from an Eastern Conference opponent at its home is good for us, but we’re always hoping for more, and we could have had the three points. It’s frustrating, but we’ll focus on the positives.”
The Bleu-blanc-noir ended up with a man advantage in the 71st minute. Midfielder Juninho, already booked in the first half, brought Hernán Bernardello down. Referee Ismail Elfath produced a second yellow card for Juninho, who returned inside for an early bath.
But the game finished at 10-v-10. Minutes later, after Schweinsteiger played Solignac in behind the Montreal backline, Cabrera fouled Solignac and was sent off.
The Impact thought it had clinched the three points in the 90th minute. In a scene that called back to Nacho Piatti’s winner on Montreal’s last trip to Chicago, Bernier fed Tabla, alone on the left. Tabla squeezed in a shot between Bava and the near post, giving the Impact a late lead. Now the Impact’s top assist-man in MLS with 25 career assists, Bernier also took the lead for assists in MLS this season with his fourth. Tabla, who celebrated his 18th birthday on Friday, became the youngest goal scorer in Impact history, dethroning Jason Di Tullio (18 and six months).
“I tried to unsettle defenders in the first half, and I realized that simply taking a touch and a shot could take the goalkeeper and defenders by surprise,” said Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla. “I thought I’d try my luck on the next play. Conceding that goal at the end is disappointing, but we’ll take the point and work in order for that not to happen again.”
But the home team made it 2-2 in stoppage time. A Dax McCarty feed from the right found Solignac on the edge of the area. Solignac did well to cushion the ball and slam the ball home, beating goalkeeper Evan Bush to his right.
Next games
The Impact’s three-game road stretch comes to a close next Friday, April 7, at 10:30pm at StubHub Center in Carson, California, against the LA Galaxy (TVA Sports, TSN, 98,5FM & CJAD). The Bleu-blanc-noir’s next home fixture takes place on Saturday, April 15, at 1pm for its first game of the season at Stade Saputo against Atlanta United FC (TVA Sports, CTV, 98,5FM & TSN Radio 690). Excellent tickets for this game, as well as season tickets and mini season packages, are still available on impactmontreal.com.
LINEUPS
CHI – GK-Jorge Bava; D-Michael Harrington, Jonathan Campbell, João Meira, Brandon Vincent; M-Juninho, Dax McCarty, Bastian Schwinsteiger; F-Arturo Álvarez (Michael de Leeuw 65’, Daniel Johnson 79’), Nemanja Nikolic (Luis Solignac 75’), David Accam
Subs not used – GK-Matt Lampson; D-Patrick Doody; M-Brandt Bronico, Daniel Johnson, Djordje Mihailovic
MTL – GK-Evan Bush; D-Chris Duvall, Víctor Cabrera, Hassoun Camara, Daniel Lovitz; M-Dominic Oduro (Wandrille Lefèvre 83’), Adrián Arregui (Patrice Bernier 62’), Marco Donadel (Michael Salazar 74’), Hernán Bernardello, Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla; F-Matteo Mancosu
Subs not used – GK-Maxime Crépeau; D-Ambroise Oyongo; M-Calum Mallace; F-Anthony Jackson-Hamel
GOALS
CHI – Schweinsteiger (Accam, Juninho) 17’
MTL – Mancosu (Duvall) 61’
MTL – Tabla (Bernier) 90’
CHI – Solignac (McCarty) 90’ + 3’
CAUTIONS
CHI – Juninho 41’
MTL – Duvall 57’
MTL – Arregui 60’
MTL – Cabrera 76’
MTL – Lovitz 78’
EJECTIONS
CHI – Juninho 71’
MTL – Cabrera 80
