The Montreal Impact were playing a crucial game in their home stadium in the US, RedBull Arena hosting the team right below them in the standings Inter Miami. A win could give them a five-point cushion with four games left while a loss would allow Miami to jump over them into a playoff spot.
Fast start for Montreal :
Montreal got off to the best possible start and five minutes into the game off a Miami turnover Maxi Urruti would get the game first shot on goal but a better save by Miami keeper John McCarthy. A minute later the Impact got the game's first goal when Bojan would get a great just from just outside the box that would squeak by McCarty for the early 1-0 lead.
The Impact kept the pressure on the Miami defense and in the 14th minute Romell Quioto off a counter-attack would get another great shot on goal but McCarthy was there to make the save. Three minutes later Bojan had a chance to add to the Impact lead but once again McCarthy was keeping his team in the game with another save.
Montreal clearly had the momentum as they were dominating play and keeping Miami on their heels. It seemed to fizzle out at the 33rd minute Brek Shea would finally get Miami first shot on target and funny enough it would deflect off James Pantemis who was starting the second consecutive game and into the back of the net to tie the game at one.
That goal completely changed the game and the tables had turned and it was Miami now on the attack pressuring the Impact defense. The first half finished 1-1 and we went into the second half wondering who would come out on top.
A great finish for the Impact :
The Montreal Impact went back to their dominating fashion entering the second half and three minutes into the second half Quioto had another chance to score but a big save by McCarthy kept the game tied.
Three minutes later it was Samuel Piette's turn to have a shot at goal but McCarthy was being a wall in net. In the 62nd minute, Miami finally got their first scoring chance of the half off a bad giveaway by the Impact but Pantemis was there to make the save.
12 minutes later Miami got another chance at goal when Lewis Morgan would get a shot on target but again Pantemis was there to make a big save. Higuain would get his second shot on goal in the 80th minute but Pantemis would not be beaten.
In the ensuing play, Quioto got a long pass-through to Bojan who would go on a two-on-one with Urruti who would take the pass and put it past McCarthy to give Montreal a 2-1 lead. Two minutes later Higuain was at it again getting another shot on goal but was once again denied by Pantemis.
Miami was pushing hard for the equalizer but the night and the win belonged to the Montreal Impact who now with the win jump up to 8th place in the standings.
Up next :
Montreal Impact: Saturday, October 24th at NYCFC 7:30 pm
Inter Miami: Saturday, October 24th vs Orlando City SC 3:30 pm