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The Prelude to Battle
The Impact’s first competitive game of the year is a pretty important one.
The team has been in Mexico for two weeks preparing for their first leg of their quarterfinal bout against Pachuca. If the Impact were to win, they would become the first Canadian team to ever win on Mexican soil.
It will be no easy task. Pachuca is already well into their season, and on a bit of hot streak having won four of their last five games. Although Montreal finished unbeaten in six of their last seven matches last season, the amount of new players will also take some getting used to. In total there will be 12 new faces in the bleu-blanc-noir of the Impact this season.
"We have to play smart. They are seven games in their season while we will be playing our first match," said head coach Frank Klopas. "Tactically we have to be good with the ball, use our strengths and take away their strengths. We know we are going to make a mistake and we will be under pressure but we have to stick together as a team. If we stay compact and organized we will be fine."
Impact fans will have bitter memories of their last memorable run in this tournament in the 2008-2009 tournament. The Impact won their first leg of their quarter final against Santos Laguna 2-0, but went on to lose the return leg 5-2.
Impact head coach certainly had a busy offseason after last year’s dismal season. Still, Klopas is the first returning coach for the Impact in a new season in their young history, and this will be the season to prove his worth.
The Opening 45
One of the main reasons Montreal came into Mexico two weeks prior to the match was to get used to the altitude in which the game would be played, a staggering 2432 meters. They’ve played a few preseason games, including a 6-0 dismantling of Cuautla and a 1-0 win against Cruz Azul, Odura being the lone scorer in that one.
Sparks flew early in the first when Bush was unceremoniously pushed down after making a save, pushing the keeper to go after the Pachuca player and forcing the referee to intervene.
Pachuca’s Jurgen Damn looked like he would be quick down the right wing for Pachuca, sending a dangerous ball early in the game for Cano down the middle that had to be dealt with by Bush.
Montreal’s best opportunity came in the 15th minute, when Piatti found space outside the box and unleashed a bullet that ended up straying high. Piatti signed with the Impact late last season and is one of the central pieces to this revamped squad.
The breakthrough came in the 25th minute down the left flank from Dilly Duka. The speedy New Jersey native came down the side, cut into the middle, and completely fooled 42-year-old keeper Oscar Perez flat-footed with a well-placed shot into the right corner. Against all odds, the Impact had a 1-0 lead in Mexico.
Pachuca almost wasted no time trying to get back into this one. Just two minutes later, a horrid clearance by the Montreal defense hit Duka in the back and ended up at the feet of Sornoza, whose shot went just wide of the post.
Justin Mapp was the first to take a yellow card after taking down a streaking Gutierrez a few meters outside the box. The ensuing free kick took a favorable deflection and landed right into the arms of keeper Evan Bush.
Pachuca was enjoying most of possession in their offensive third as the first wound on, although they were finding it difficult to get quality opportunities against a stingy Montreal defense. The Impact waited patiently, moving the ball out wide when they got possession, trying to take advantage of quick counters through Mapp and Duka on the sides.
Duka came close to getting his second of the game in the 40th off a spectacular volley from a long Justin Mapp pass that was awkwardly saved by Perez to keep the score at 1-0. Still, Duka did a tremendous job and showed amazing technique to get such a powerful shot off the volley.
Bush made another solid save on the stroke of halftime, showing strong hands to confidently push aside a blast from Cano. The half would come to an end with Montreal up 1-0. Pachuca was picking up the pace near the end of the second half, taking advantage of a rustier Montreal side. The impact would look to get Piatti more involved in this one if they wanted more opportunities going forward.
The Second Half
Montreal opened the second with another great chance. On the counter once again, Reo-Coker showed great patience in the middle, opting to feed a streaking Justin Mapp on the edge of the box. His ensuing shot was deflected and went just wide. Coker was having a good game thus far, and that was a good example of what the ex-Premier League man can bring to this squad.
In the 53rd minute, Montreal stunned the Mexican fans when they scored yet again. A well constructed move starting with Reo-Coker moving the ball wide towards Mapp, who then cut in sharply to avoid two defenders and take a shot. The rebound went past a few idling Pachuca defenders right into Duka’s feet, who made no mistake for his second of the night.
Credit given to Justin Mapp for all the hard work down the wing, although it must be said that it was absolutely horrid defending by the Mexican side.
But in the 57th, Pachuca quickly got one in off a set piece after a careless tackle from Ciman right outside the Impact box. Heriberto Olvera took it on his left and placed it past Bush into the top corner, taking an unlucky deflection off Reo-Coker’s head. That seemed to get the fans on their feet, and silence was suddenly replaced by the sound of drums in the crowd. Now we had a game.
Dominic Oduro, who the Impact acquired in the offseason from their Canadian rivals Toronto FC, was one of the many players making their debut with the Impact today. The Ghanaian forward had been fairly quiet thus far, although he did show off his speed in the 62nd minute when he almost escaped on a partial break, but a heavy touch let him down.
In the 68th, after a few unlucky bounces and some Pachuca pressure, the Mexican side scored another and leveled the score at two apiece. Lozano, coming in down the right flank just onside, hit a ball across the box. Bush managed to get a hand to it but it hit substitute Nahuelpan right in the stomach and it rolled into the net past an incredulous Montreal defense.
Now at 2-2 with a little over 20 minutes remaining, you just had a feeling this wasn’t going to end in a draw.
The Frenchman Camara, who started the night on the bench with an apparent ankle injury, was the first Montreal substitute coming in for Cabrera, the 22 –year old on loan from Argentinean side River Plate.
Bush was forced to make another stellar save after a bullet from outside the box was aimed low and hard at the left corner. The game was still very much in the balance, both teams looking like they would be the ones to get the go ahead goal.
But it was Montreal who opted to slow the game down and retain possession a little more, the away side realizing that leaving Mexico with the score at 2-2 would be largely to their advantage, despite giving away a two-goal lead.
In stoppage time, a bad foul from Camara gave Pachuca a great chance to win this one on a set piece right outside the box. Fortunately for the Impact, the wall stood tall and the rebound went well wide of the frame, drawing groans of frustrations from the Mexican fans in attendance.
After four minutes of stoppage time, the referee called an end to the game. The Impact will be happy after that performance for their first game of the season, coming home for the return leg next week with just the slightest of advantages in what should be a wonderful second leg.
Man of the Match
Dilly Duka
Dilly Duka is the obvious man of the match for the Impact in this one. He provided the speed and intensity on the counter that led to the Impact’s first two goals, and even provided the finishing touches. He elevated the Impact’s intensity throughout the entire contest and will hopefully continue to play a part in the Impact’s revamping this season.
Credit should go to Justin Mapp as well. Although he did take a touch too many at times tonight, he also put in a lot of effort and played a pivotal role in the Impact’s second goal. Although Piatti didn’t have a bad game, more is expected from the #10. His vision in usually incomparable but was off the mark today.
Montreal Impact Line-up
Oduro
Piatti
Duka
Mapp
Reo-Coker
Donadel
Soumare
Toia
Ciman
Cabrera
Bush
Impact substitutions
Camara for Cabrera, Mallace ford Donadel, Porter for Oduro
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