Photo: John Raoux Associated Press
The big star of the match was striker, Toronto FC, Ayo Akinola (20), author of the last three goals.
Despite a performance which is clearly superior to that offered the previous week against the Revolution in New-England, the Montreal Impact suffered a second setback in as many outings at the tournament of revival of the MLS, bowing 4-3 to its major rivals Toronto FC on Thursday evening.
The big star of the match was Ayo Akinola, author of the last three goals of his own, bringing his total to five since the start of the tournament. Richie Laryea scored another net for Toronto FC, who played this game with a little more than 72 hours of rest, compared to a full week for the club, and without the presence of Jozy Altidore, who is still not ready physically.
“I feel pretty well-he got a hat-trick, said the hero of the evening. But I know that this is not finished. We still have a group game. Then this match is in the past. I am already starting to think about the following. “
In the Impact, Saphir Taïder has scored two goals, each time on a penalty kick, one in the first half, the other during the stoppage of the second half. Romell Quioto, who has been the player with the most visible Impact, has succeeded in the other thread of the clan montreal, in the 14th minute.
The performance of Quioto has earned positive feedback from head coach Thierry Henry. The latter has also praised the work of midfielder Emanuel Maciel, who played his first game with the Impact, as well as the level of commitment shown by his players in general.
The statistics come from elsewhere to support the analysis of Henry. The Impact has attempted 12 shots on goal, four more than the clan torontonians to Clément Diop. In addition, the Impact has had possession of the ball for almost 59 percent of the time.
“At the level of the fighting, it was far better, at the level of the possession of the ball, it was much better, the level to create chances, it was much better. Quioto made a match huge, also Manu Maciel. “
The Impact has never managed to take the lead in this match. He in particular conceded a crucial goal in the 37th minute, the second of Akinola, only a few seconds after that Taïder was tied at 2-2.
“This is not obvious. It doesn’t happen to me often in my life, ” Henry said. It was in the possession of the ball, we were trying to do a run like we did in the second half, they never touched the ball, we created opportunities like that. But if you take a goal like if it was not there, as soon as the commitment, it becomes inevitably, of course, difficult. “
With this loss, the impact remains in last place of the standings of group C, still searching for a first point after two defeats by the margin of a goal.
Photo: Michael Reaves Getty Images Agence France-Presse
Before the beginning of the meeting, the coach Thierry Henry, put a knee on the ground in support of the movement Black Lives Matter.
Toronto FC, who had to settle for a disappointing tie against D. C. United on a Monday morning, is hoisted at the head of the standings with four points, one more than the Revolution. The Revolution and D. C. United clash on Friday.
The Impact will complete the group stage by doing battle with D. C. United next Tuesday night at 22: 30.
For the moment, the Impact is not eliminated from the knock-out stage, but his two defeats bode rather badly.
“It is very disappointing to not have received your points today “, said Samuel Piette. I think you need to think long-term. We do not know what will happen after, for the rest of the season, but these games count for the ranking of the season. Therefore, we cannot allow ourselves to lose points because we could be eliminated from the tournament. We’re going to have to play each game as if it were our last. “
Just before the start of the match. the Impact announced that the defender Rudy Camacho has left the team to Orlando and returned to Montreal to find his wife who would soon give birth to a second child.
According to a spokesperson of the Impact, it is already assured that he will not be back to Orlando for the third match of the team of the group phase next Tuesday.
