Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2, Montreal Impact 4 | 2020 MLS Regular Season Match Recap

Jose Romero

Samuel Piette's first MLS goal was part of a wildly successful night for the Montreal Impact Sunday in Vancouver, as the Impact remained alive for the Canadian Championship with a 4-2 win.

Orji Okwonkwo, Romell Quioto and Saphir Taider also scored for the Impact, who were in control on offense for much of the match against the Whitecaps. Theo Bair and an own goal provided the two goals for the Whitecaps.

Vancouver played 33-plus minutes with 10 men and Montreal 18 plus extra time in the second half.

The Impact needed two wins to keep pace with Toronto FC for a spot in the CanChamp final, and got their first three points. They'll need to beat the Whitecaps again on Wednesday to stay alive.

In the 15th minute, Montreal drew even after Bair's early goal thanks to the speed of Quito,who after a giveaway raced down the right side with the ball and fired a shot off the far post. Taider got a touch on the rebound, and Okwonkwo was waiting nearby to put away an easy shot.

Taider connected from the penalty spot in extratime of the first half. Quioto set it up when he drew a hard tackle in the box from Whitecaps goalkeeper Thomas Hasal.

Piette and Quioto had second-half goals and the Whitecaps got a Rudy Camacho own goal to make it 4-2. Vancouver lost Lucas Cavallini to a red card in the 57th minute for unsporting behavior — after getting into a physical argument with Impact center back Luis Binks — and Emanuel Maciel was sent off in the 72nd for a harsh tackle.

Goals

7' – VAN – Theo Bair | WATCH
15' – MTL – Orji Okwonkwo | WATCH
45+1' – MTL – Saphir Taider (PK) | WATCH
51' – MTL – Samuel Piette | WATCH
60' – MTL – Romell Quioto | WATCH
66' – VAN – Rudy Camacho (OG) | WATCH

Three Things

THE BIG PICTURE: Montreal cut the goal differential with first place Toronto FC to one, and any win on Wednesday against the 'Caps gets them the MLS berth in the Canadian Championship Final against the Canadian Premier League winner. From the way they poured on goals Sunday, the opportunity looks like theirs for the taking. But the Whitecaps know they can play spoiler, even if Cavallini is unavailable due to the red card.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH: So many goals, so much action, plenty of aggressive play between rivals. But the biggest moment for Montreal came in the 89th minute trying to keep a two-goal lead. It was this clearance off the line that stopped what would have been the Whitecaps' third goal:

DEFENCE 😤@ZacharyBrault with the goal line clearance.

2-4 | #VANvMTL | #IMFC pic.twitter.com/NCA6f4kK8t
— Impact de Montréal (@impactmontreal) September 14, 2020

MAN OF THE MATCH: Heroes abound for Montreal, but Romell Quioto was everywhere in the first half, and his effort paid off with a second-half goal. Quioto drew the penalty just before halftime, and appeared ready to take the shot until Taider approached him to let him know Taider would do the honors. Quioto showed right away that he was going to be a problem for the Whitecaps:

👀🚽@QuiotoSamir

0-0 | #VANvMTL | #IMFC pic.twitter.com/GT8CQX015w
— Impact de Montréal (@impactmontreal) September 14, 2020

Next Up

VAN: Wednesday, Sept. 16 vs. Montreal Impact (9:30 pm ET | TSN1, MLS LIVE on ESPN+)
MTL: Wednesday, Sept. 16 at Vancouver Whitecaps (9:30 pm ET | TSN1, MLS LIVE on ESPN+)

Jose Romero

CF Montréal Vancouver Whitecaps FC