IMPACT FALL TO LOWLY UNION
Drop further in MLS standings
Home field failed to provide an advantage as the Impact dropped a 2-0 decision to the Philadelphia Union Saturday at Saputo Stadium.
The Union, which had lost 28 of its previous 29 road games, took the lead on goal from Cory Burke late in the first half and sealed the game in the 88th minute when Haris Medunjanin scored in the 88th minute following a mistake that was a reflection of an afternoon of sloppy play. Defender Jukka Raitala allowed an easy pass to get behind him in the box and that allowed David Accam to set up Medunjanin.
For the second consecutive game, the Impact lost to a team that started the day behind Montreal in the standings and finished ahead. The win moved the Union into eighth place in the MLS Eastern Conference with 11 points, two more than the Impact, whose record dropped to 3-8-0.
Coach Rémi Garde obviously wasn’t happy with his team’s play and when asked where the Impact goes from here, he said: “We’re not going to cry about it; we have to go back and work harder.”
Garde bristled when he was asked why he waited to bring in offensive players Dominic Oduro and Matteo Mancosu, saying: “I make changes when I think we need to make changes.”
Union coach Jim Curtin went with a young lineup and said he was pleased with the way his team limited Ignacio Piatti.
“It was an overall team effort, but Keegan Rosenberry did a good job marking Piatti,” Curtin said. “That was one of the keys. He’s one of the top offensive players in the league and he’s been involved in 11 of their 14 goals, so it was important to contain him.”
Philadelphia was reduced to 10 men when Burke was handed a red card for a serious foul against Samuel Piette, but the Impact was unable to take advantage before Daniel Lovitz was ejected in the 70th minute for hard foul on Fabrice-Jean Picault. Lovitz was originally handed a yellow card by referee Kevin Stott, but the infraction was upgraded to a red card after a video review.
Burke scored in the 43rd minute to give the Union a 1-0 lead with his first goal of the season on a header off a centring pass from Raymon Gaddis. Goalkeeper Evan Bush managed to get his fingertips on the shot, but the ball went in under the crossbar.
Burke’s score was the first away goal for the Union in five road games this season, but the visitors had numerous chances to score in the first half. Bush made four saves in that span and came out to challenge Burke early in the game and went airborne to stop a Gaddis shot that was aimed to the top corner.
Piatti had Montreal’s best chance in the first half when he came off the touchline and worked his way into the box. He hit a bender that struck the far goalpost. Philadelphia goalkeeper Andre Blake made his only save of the half when he stopped a shot by Raheem Edwards.
The Impact has more than a week off before its next game, a May 21 matinee at Saputo Stadium against the Los Angeles Galaxy.