McInerney scores pair as Impact blanks Dynamo
After rough start, season looking up with 3-0 victory
Montreal Impact coach Frank Klopas calls Jack McInerney a “pure striker,” and that label fit perfectly after his two-goal performance on Sunday night.
The 21-year-old, obtained April 4 in a trade with the Philadelphia Union, headed in a goal just before halftime and surprised himself with a blind shot in off a post in the second half as the Impact downed the slumping Houston Dynamo 3-0.
Marco Di Vaio added a late goal as the Impact (3-7-5) followed up a strong 0-0 draw in Vancouver on Wednesday with a win that gave the team points in consecutive games for the time since April.
After a horrendous start to the season, the Impact is 2-1-1 in its last four. Three of its next four games are on the road, where Montreal has yet to win this season, starting Sat- urday at Chivas USA in California.
“It was important after the (World Cup) break to get a point in Vancouver and important to have consistency and follow that with a good result,” Klopas said. “We have to build on this.”
The Dynamo (5-10-2) has been outscored 13-0 while losing five games in a row. Houston had Honduran midfielder Boniek Garcia back from the World Cup in Brazil but is still missing U.S. international Brad Davis.
It was a prime chance for Montreal to get much-needed points. While the Impact controlled most of the match and outshot Houston 17-8, it took McInerney’s soft touch around the net to bag the three points.
The striker known as Jack Mac has been everything the Impact hoped for when the team sent 2012 first-overall draft pick Andrew Wenger to Philadelphia. McInerney has six goals in eight MLS matches since joining the Impact (he had one for the Union before the trade), and added three more in Voyageurs Cup play.
“He’s a pure striker,” Klopas said. “He might not do anything or he might not be involved in the build- up, but then boom. One opportunity.
“It’s been good for him here working with Marco. The runs he makes are very similar.”
Added McInerney: “It’s the way I’ve always been. I don’t do anything for 89 minutes, and I get one chance and I usually put it away.”
He got his first of the night in the 42nd minute, as he broke toward the goal and headed a pass from fullback Eric Miller past goalie Tally Hall.
Then he added an impressive one in the 75th, putting the ball in off a post on a bicycle kick with his back to the net, after Justin Mapp beat a defender and lobbed a pass in front.
“I got a little lucky,” McInerney said. “Just make solid contact and whatever happens.”
The smile of disbelief on Di Vaio’s face afterward showed even the former Bologna striker was impressed.
The Impact hopes the season is turning around. Centreback Matteo Ferrari returned earlier in the week, and both Di Vaio and Mapp returned from injuries for the Houston game. Both started on the bench and came on in the second half.
“It’s good moving forward,” Mapp said.