COMMERCE CITY, Colorado – The Montreal Impact, playing in altitude a fourth game in 11 days, was still hunting for its playoff spot on Saturday at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, but lost 2-1 against the Colorado Rapids. Striker Matteo Mancosu was the only one to score for Montreal in the loss.
“It’s a disappointing loss,” said Impact head coach Mauro Biello. “We had the advantage with their red card but we got red carded as well. We gave two easy goals in the box tonight. We had chances to score and hurt them but we were not able to.”
“We had this game under control and we let the opponent get back into it,” said midfielder Patrice Bernier. “We are disappointed because we lost a game that we could have won. We only have ourselves to blame.”
A physical first half
The first 45 minutes were highlighted by two ejections. As a result, over an hour of play was spent with 10 men on the pitch for each side.
The Impact played with a man advantage from the 12th minute, when Jared Watts received a red card after a violent tackle on defender Chris Duvall, who left the game due to an injury and was replaced by Hassoun Camara.
20 minutes later, Impact defender Daniel Lovitz also saw red, for a knee contact with Mike da Fonte.
The Impact dominated the first half, keeping 66% of possession and sending eight shots towards the Rapids' goal, but lacked the final ball in the offensive third. In the fifth minute, Laurent Ciman’s header missed the goal by a few inches following a corner. Then, at the 37th minute, Mancosu took a shot that went over the bar.
The Rapids were more opportunistic and took the lead during stoppage-time. Stefan Aigner, alone at the penalty spot, redirected a cross from Mekeil Williams with his head and beat goalkeeper Evan Bush to his left.
A second half as animated
In the 52nd minute, Marlon Hairston tackled Nacho Piatti in the 18-yard box and referee Jorge Gonzalez called a penalty for Montreal, but the decision was changed after video replay.
Goalkeeper Tim Howard registered a few key saves in the second half, diving to his left to stop Mancosu’s shot in the 57th minute, and also denied Anthony Jackson-Hamel in the 68th minute.
Impact goalkeeper Evan Bush was also brilliant in front of Joshua Gatt, Dominique Badji and Bismark Boateng, preventing them from doubling their team's lead.
In the 62nd minute, Samuel Piette, with his first assist in MLS, found Mancosu in the middle, who turned and unleashed a powerful strike to beat Tim Howard in the upper 90.
However, Rapids forward Alan Gordon scored the game-winning goal in the 81st minute.
Team captain Patrice Bernier became the second player to reach 10,000 minutes on the pitch with the Impact in MLS in the second half.
Playoff race not over yet
In another crucial game in the Eastern Conference playoff race, the New York Red Bulls, currently sixth, lost 4-2 to Toronto FC at BMO Field earlier tonight.
Still four points away from a playoff spot and with two games to play, the Impact can still hope to qualify for the fall tournament.
Last two games
After the international break, the Impact is set for another derby against Toronto FC, at BMO Field, on Sunday, October 15, at 5pm (TVA Sports, TSN, 98,5fm, TSN Radio 690). The last game of the regular season, during which captain Patrice Bernier will be saluted by the club, will take place at Stade Saputo against New England Revolution, on Sunday, October 22, at 4pm (TVA Sports, TSN, 98,5fm, CJAD 800 – TICKETS).
LINEUPS
MTL – GK-Evan Bush; D-Chris Duvall (Hassoun Camara 13’), Laurent Ciman, Deian Boldor, Dan Lovitz; M-Patrice Bernier (Michael Salazar 75’), Samuel Piette, Andrés Romero; F-Dominic Oduro (Anthony Jackson-Hamel 67’), Matteo Mancosu, Ignacio Piatti
Unused subs – Maxime Crépeau, Kyle Fisher, Hernan Bernardello, Marco Donadel
COL – GK-Tim Howard; D-Mike da Fonte (Bismark Boateng 46’), Kortne Ford, Axel Sjoberg, Mekeil Williams; M-Jared Watts, Michael Azira (Mohammed Saeid 79’), Marlon Hairston, Stefan Aigner (Alan Gordon 72’), Joshua Gatt; F-Dominique Badji
Subs not used – Zac MacMath, Eric Miller, Dillon Serna, Shkelzen Gashi
GOALS
COL – Aigner (Williams) 45’+3’
MTL – Mancosu (Piette) 62’
COL – Gordon (Badji, Williams) 81’
CAUTIONS
COL – Ford 48’
COL – Gordon 82’
EJECTIONS
COL – Watts 12’
MTL – Lovitz 32’
