Impact uses big win to send message
Impact coach Mauro Biello wanted a positive response from his players after their 3-1 home loss to New York City FC the previous week. He got more than he bargained for on Saturday at Saputo Stadium. The Impact players looked energized and determined to not only win the match, but to do so with a level of conviction that would serve notice to the rest of MLS.
It’s a game tape the Philadelphia Union won’t be in a hurry to watch, as the fourth-place Impact dominated from start to finish in a resounding 5-1 victory. The Impact, with a game in hand, cut the third-place Union’s advantage to one point and Montreal is only four points behind Eastern Conference leading NYCFC with two games in hand.
Here are my pros and cons from the match:
Pro: The Impact outshot the Union 22-9, and scored on five of seven shots on target. But it wasn’t the number of shots that was most impressive, it was the way that each of the goals were created — with timely individual and collective defensive pressure, and effective offensive buildups. All of the Impact’s goals were scored from a central area inside the Union’s penalty box and were the result of high-percentage finishing instead of hopeful shots from a distance. The end product — putting the ball in the back of the net — was an effortless exercise for the Impact’s forwards.
Con: There was never a moment that you got the feeling the Impact would fail to take all three points against the Union. However, the visitors’ 72nd-minute goal, which cut the lead to 3-1, gave the home side a vivid reminder of what can happen when they let their guards down. It was one of only a few moments that the Impact lost concentration defensively. On the play, Union forward Chris Pontius slipped in behind Impact defender Donny Toia and beat goalkeeper Evan Bush with a delicate, looping header to the far post. Toia could have done a bit better defensively, but the initial breakdown occurred when Fabian Herbers was allowed to waltz through midfield before he played it wide to Walter Restrepo. The problem for the Impact was compounded when defender Ambroise Oyongo and midfielder Harry Shipp were caught in no man’s land, and Restrepo was afforded time to deliver an uncontested cross. The Impact took their foot off the gas pedal for a moment and paid the ultimate price.
Pro: It was the Didier Drogba show, but it was probably the easiest hat trick Drogba has scored. The Ivorian scored his first two — from six and 12 yards out, respectively — into a wide open Union goal, and completed his hat trick with another 12yard finish after taking advantage of perplexing defending by Raymon Gaddis. Not to take anything away from Drogba, who has eight goals in 12 appearances, but the life of the party was Ignacio Piatti. The Argentine looked like a man possessed after returning to action following a one-game suspension. Piatti led all players with eight shots and ended the day with a goal and two assists. But those numbers only tell a small part of the story. Piatti, who has eight goals and three assists in his last nine games, completed 28 of 31 passes and put on a dribbling clinic. You’d be hard pressed to find a more exciting player than Piatti in MLS.
Con: The return of Toia from a long injury layoff is, without question, a positive for the player and for the Impact’s defensive depth. But when the hardworking American is deployed as a right fullback, we’ve seen the negatives that come with that decision from a tactical standpoint. Toia, who is predominantly a left-sided player, has very little confidence in his right foot, so when he’s playing on the right side, his overall game becomes limited and predictable. Toia completed only 13 passes against the Union, which is nothing to be alarmed about given the Impact’s offensive dominance, but there was a blatant unbalanced approach when the team pushed forward. The Impact’s left side ran rampant offensively against the Union, but the same cannot be said for the right side, which included Michael Salazar. Toia is a very reliable shutdown-type defender, but if you ask Drogba or Piatti, they’ll tell you they would prefer to see crosses delivered from both sides of the attack.
Pro: Recently signed Matteo Mancosu, who substituted on for Drogba in the 79th minute, scored in the 91st minute from the same spot that Drogba scored his third goal. It was Mancosu’s first goal for the Impact in only his second appearance. However, given how Mancosu’s goal occurred, it’s not far-fetched to suggest that had Drogba been on the field, he would have likely been in the same position to score that goal. Nonetheless, Mancosu has a goal in only 37 minutes of action, a perfect start to his MLS career. Con: None. Pro: A number of players stood out against the Union. Captain Patrice Bernier looked more like 26 years old than his current age of 36. The Union’s game announcer said it best: “Bernier is running in the 91st minute like it’s the very first minute.” Bernier was credited with only one assist against the Union, but four of the five Impact goal sequences were either started by Bernier or went through the classy midfielder. It should be noted that the Impact is unbeaten (3-0-5) this season in the seven games that Bernier has started and another in which he played more than 45 minutes. Another standout performer was Oyongo, who earned a place on the MLS team of the week. Oyongo completed 30 of 36 passes and crosses, and registered two assists in the process. The Cameroon international didn’t exactly abandon his defensive duties, either. Oyongo helped the back line with seven recoveries, five clearances and two interceptions. Honourable mention to defender Hassoun Camara, who had been playing extremely well at right back, and was just as effective in the centre of the back line against the Union.
Simply put, Biello could not have asked for a better team performance from his players.
The Impact outshot the Union 22-9, and scored on five of seven shots on target.