ORLANDO, Fla. – Mauro Biello admitted afterward that he would have been happy to settle for a scoreless draw and a precious point from Montreal’s visit to Orlando. In a game with a host of playoff implications, the Impact head coach was delighted to walk away with all three
Thanks to a Dominic Oduro goal and a 1-0 win, Montreal eliminated Orlando City SC from the playoff chase and solidified their own hopes of hosting a Knockout Round game, moving into fourth in the tight Eastern Conference. Still, Biello was quick to point out there is plenty left to do in their final two games to ensure a playoff finish to the season, with D.C. United, Philadelphia, New England and even Columbus on the Impact’s heels.
Oduro’s second-half effort on the break was the only one of four efforts that successfully threatened Orlando’s goal, while the home side racked up 22 attempts on Evan Bush, but the Impact goalkeeper came up with two massive saves to deny Canadian striker Cyle Larin to ensure the shutout.
“That one ranks as one of the best [defensive performances] of the season, for sure,” Biello said. “Obviously we also had a good one at Toronto, where we played with a man down and were able to win 1-0.
“But I think my team has played very well on the road. We have been in every game on the road, and it’s only at home where we’ve struggled a little bit this year. Now it’s two [wins] in a row, and we need to continue to grow as a team, get into the playoffs and continue that rhythm.”
Biello also admitted the pressure had been on with Saturday’s results dragging them back into a five-way dogfight for the final three playoff places in the East. Prior to kickoff at Camping World Stadium, Montreal were precariously poised in sixth spot, with the Revolution just two points behind. There was little margin for error.
“When I looked at the scorelines yesterday, with D.C. winning at Toronto, New England getting the three points and they’re right behind us and we play them the last game of the season, I would have taken the 0-0 but I am very happy with the three points for sure, Biello said.”
The Impact coach owned up to juggling a number of concerns before sending out such a defensive-minded lineup against Orlando, including the recent memory of a 4-1 home defeat at the hands of the Lions.
“There were a lot of factors, not only the last game that we lost,” he said. “More so were the [hot] weather, the conditions, the turf, being our third game in a week that some guys were playing. We knew that if we stayed compact and countered with our pace, it would give us our best chance to win this game.”
Alongside Oduro’s sixth goal of the season, Bush also caught the eye for several saves, including a point-blank effort to thwart Larin in the 62nd minute that was a major turning point.
“Yes, it’s about making plays,” Biello said. “And, if we’re able to make plays at different moments – Dominic Oduro makes a play, Evan Bush makes a play and you accumulate a lot of those – your chances of winning are going to be good.”
