A sending off for each side in the second half
MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact lost 2-0 to the Philadelphia Union, Saturday afternoon at Stade Saputo. Red cards handed to each team within ten minutes in the second half marked the game.
“We weren’t good enough offensively or defensively,” said Impact head coach Rémi Garde. “We were very poor technically, we made it too easy for our opponent when we should’ve taken the game in our hands. We need to question ourselves. The supporters’ reaction today was normal, because they’re all very disappointed.”
Hesitant to start the game
The Impact, back at Stade Saputo after a trip to Chicago, started the game a little hesitantly, offering the visitors scoring chances in the first and third minutes due to giveaways in the final third, but escaped unscathed.
In the seventh minute, Nacho Piatti stole the ball from Alejandro Bedoya right in front of the opponent’s box. The Union’s captain pulled Piatti’s arm, preventing him from breaking through, but referee Kevin Scott wasn’t moved.
“We didn’t play well,” said midfielder Nacho Piatti. “At home, we need to win. We need to talk to each other, because there are still over 20 games to go and we want to make the playoffs. I also didn’t work well, and I would like to say sorry to everyone.”
In the 36th minute, Raheem Edwards recovered the ball in the visitors’ defensive third. From the right flank, he tried to nutmeg goalkeeper Andrew Blake, but the Jamaican reacted quickly and made the save.
“It wasn’t good enough,” said midfierlder Raheem Edwards. “We have a little pressure on our shoulders because we need to win games like this. Everyone knows that. We’re embarrassed, we have no excuses today.”
The Union opened the scoring in the 43rd minute. Raymon Gaddis crossed to the near post for Cory Burke, who beat Bush with a powerful header.
Two sending offs in 10 minutes
Five minutes into the second half, the Bleu-blanc-noir had a good opportunity to level the score, but Anthony Jackson-Hamel’s shot was blocked by Blake.
“We did not put our balls on the line today,” said forward Anthony Jackson-Hamel. “We need to look at ourselves in the mirror and adjust. If we keep adding up the losses, we’ll suffer. The supporters are right to react this way, it was unacceptable.”
In the 58th minute, Burke tackled Samuel Piette dangerously and late, earning himself a straight red card.
The Impact took advantage from the man advantage and put pressure on the Union. In the 63rd minute, Saphir Taïder, alone at the far post, wasn’t able to finish Alejandro Silva’s perfect cross, hitting his header too low.
The hosts then saw one of their own players ejected. After video review, Daniel Lovitz, who was originally given a yellow card, was sent off for having denied an obvious goal scoring chance in the referee’s opinion.
In the 88th minute, the Union put the game to bed when Haris Medunjanin took advantage of a duel won by David Accam in Montreal’s box to beat Bush on the opposite side.
“It’s disappointing to lose at home,” said defender Michael Petrasso. “We would like to say sorry to our supporters because we should’ve won this game.”
Upcoming games
The Impact will play its 25th anniversary commemorative game on Monday, May 21 at 3pm, when it hosts Zlatan Ibrahimović and the LA Galaxy TVA Sports, TSN, 98,5fm, TSN Radio 690). The Bleu-blanc-noir will then visit Minnesota United FC for the first time in MLS, on Saturday, May 26 at 8pm EDT, at TCF Bank Stadium (TVA Sports, TSN, 98,5fm, TSN Radio 690).
LINE-UPS
MTL – G-Evan Bush; D-Michael Petrasso (Dominic Oduro 83’), Rod Fanni, Jukka Raitala, Daniel Lovitz; M-Samuel Piette, Alejandro Silva, Saphir Taider; A-Ignacio Piatti, Anthony Jackson-Hamel, Raheem Edwards (Matteo Mancosu 81’)
Unused substitutes – Clément Diop, Chris Duvall, Shamit Shome, Louis Béland-Goyette, Ken Krolicki
PHI – G-Andre Blake; D-Keegan Rosenberry, Mark McKenzie, Auston Trusty, Raymon Gaddis; M-Haris Medunjanin, Alejandro Bedoya, Marcus Epps (David Accam 75’), Borek Dockal (Warren Creavalle 63’), Fabrice-Jean Picault (Fabinho 90’+6’); A-Cory Burke
Unused substitutes – John McCarthy, Jack Elliott, Ilsinho, Anthony Fontana
GOAL
PHI – Burke (Gaddis, Dockal) 43’
PHI – Medunjanin
CAUTIONS
MTL – Silva 65’
PHI – McKenzie 71’
MTL – Piette 77’
SENDING OFFS
PHI – Burke 58’
MTL – Lovitz 67’
