In a game between two teams desperate for points, the Montreal Impact scored twice in a 10-minute span in the first half and again in second-half stoppage time to defeat the struggling San Jose Earthquakes, 3-1, at Stade Saputo Wednesday night.
Dominic Oduro pounced on a rebound spilled in front of goal by David Bingham and deposited it into the net from eight yards out to give the Impact a 1-0 lead on 22 minutes.
Ten minutes later, Ignacio Piatti took advantage of a defensive miscue to double the Impact’s lead. He picked off Marvell Wynne pass and slipped to Matteo Mancosu, who returned the favor and Piatti tapped in from 10 yards to send Montreal into the break with a two-goal cushion with his 15th goal of the year.
Chris Wondolowski followed an Evan Bush save of a long-distance attempt by Darwin Ceren and pushed it into the net to pull the Earthquakes to within a goal in the 62nd minute.
Wondolowski had a chance to level from the penalty spot in the 87th minute after Laurent Ciman was ruled to have pulled down Shea Salinas inside the box near the end line.
But Bush made the save to deny Wondolowski and keep the Impact in front.
That loomed large because Johan Venegas added an insurance goal two minutes into stoppage time. He took a feed from Piatti after Didier Drogba received a long ball from Hassoun Camara and held off his defender to start the scoring sequence.
Box Score
- 22’ – MTL – Dominic Oduro
- 32’ – MTL – Ignacio Piatti (Matteo Mancosu)
- 62’ -- SJ – Chris Wondolowski
- 90+2’ – MTL – Johan Venegas (Ignacio Piatti, Didier Drogba)
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Three Things
- TURN THAT CALENDAR: September hasn't been kind to the Impact, who lost four times and were winless in five, but they closed out the penultimate month of the regular season with a much-needed three points. It was Montreal's second win in their last nine games, but it was enough to hold onto fifth place in the Eastern Conference, one point ahead of D.C. United.
- OH-FOR-EVER: Montreal has never lost to San Jose in MLS play with three wins and two draws in five all-time meetings. All three victories have come at Stade Saputo. The teams each held serve at home in two CONCACAF Champions League encounters in 2013.
- SAN JOSE SWOON: While Montreal got off the schneid, the Earthquakes struggles continue. They are winless in seven matches, dating back to August 12 and are seven points behind the playoff line in the Western Conference with four games remaining.
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