Piatti scores twice as Impact tops Toronto FC
The Montreal Impact fought off elimination in dramatic fashion and now they have to do it all over again next week.
Montreal’s Ignacio Piatti scored two late goals as the Impact defeated rivals Toronto FC 2-0 on Sunday afternoon to keep their playoff hopes alive.
Montreal still has a chance of making the Major League Soccer post-season after the Columbus Crew lost 2-1 to Orlando City SC earlier Sunday. Orlando’s Sacha Kljestan scored from the penalty spot in the sixth minute of stoppage time to sink the Crew.
“Earlier this week the scenarios weren’t in our favour,” said Impact midfielder Samuel Piette. “Our chances weren’t great. Now the probability is even higher. The message is the same, we need to win our last game. But there’s more hope now.
“We have to approach this last game as the biggest of our lives. It’s do or die right now.”
The Impact (14-15-4) are seventh in the Eastern Conference with 46 points, two points behind Columbus (13-11-9) with one game remaining for both teams.
Remi Garde’s men need to defeat the New England Revolution in the season finale next Sunday while Columbus would have to tie or lose at home to Minnesota United FC for the Impact to make the playoffs.
“There’s a special thing that we have going on and hopefully we can continue it a little bit longer,” said goalkeeper Evan Bush. “I notice they didn’t put the scores on the video board at all today. I told Jukka (Raitala) on the field that I didn’t see any scores so I assumed it was bad news.
“But now I’m reenergized going into next week, to lock in on a New England team at a very difficult place to play. Tricky game for us but if we approach it the same way then I think we’ll be all right.”
Elsewhere in the league, D.C. United clinched a playoff berth with a 3-1 win over New York City FC.
That score meant Montreal needed a victory against Toronto (9-18-6) to remain in the two-team playoff race in the East.
The game was 0-0 until the 74th minute when Piatti scored from the penalty spot.
Substitute Eriq Zavaleta tugged at Piatti’s shirt and pulled him down in the box. There was no immediate penalty call on the play. After video review, referee Baldomero Toledo pointed to the spot and Piatti made no mistake for his 15th goal of the year.