Piatti, own goal help Impact beat Orlando City
Same opponent, ORLANDO, FLA. same result.
Montreal notched its second win against Orlando City in 10 days as the Impact topped the Lions 2-0 on Saturday night.
Orlando (6-9-1) fired manager Jason Kreis last week, but interim manager Bobby Murphy was unable to produce a different outcome as the team lost a franchiserecord seventh consecutive game. The Lions have conceded 19 goals during that span.
Montreal (6-11-0) has won two in a row — both against Orlando City, which the Impact beat 3-0 on June 13 — and three of its last four.
“I think it was a tough game because we knew that the new manager in charge probably gave more than the team had before, because it’s always the case when you change the manager,” said Impact head coach Rémi Garde.
“We had a solid game, we played very compact in a deep block. And then when we gained the ball, we had many opportunities. We didn’t score more goals, but I think at the end we deserved the win.”
Ignacio Piatti scored his third goal in the last two games to lead the Impact.
Montreal jumped ahead on Orlando City’s own goal in the 13th minute. Defender Lamine Sané’s header redirected a cross by Montreal’s Matteo Mancosu past goalkeeper Joe Bendik.
Orlando City captain Jonathan Spector said the mistake sapped the club’s early momentum.
“It’s a fluke and it’s a really bad way to start the game,” he said. “Too many times we’ve given up early goals in games because of poor defending or whatever it might be, and tonight it was just a bit of a fluke and when it rains it pours.”
Piatti made it 2-0 in the 84th minute when, at the top-left corner of the six-yard box, he took a feed from Alejandro Silva and evaded a sliding Bendik before finishing into an empty net. Montreal was flagged offside, but was awarded the goal after replay review.
Evan Bush had one save in his second consecutive shutout.
Impact defender Chris Duvall said the team showed well.
“It feels great because this is a team that I think has been struggling and a team that we played so recently,” he said.
“And I know that this game was little bit more chippy because they had something to prove to, not just us, but around the league, to their new coach, to their fans, to everyone. And I think to still manage to get a shutout against a very good attacking team is a huge win for us.”