Montreal Impact vs. Columbus Crew – Playoff Game Recap
Recall MLSGoals accurate predictions about this match being a battle of strikers between Montreal Impact’s Didier Drogba and Columbus Crew’s Kei Kamara? Well, we were dead wrong!!
Although a fantastic game at Major League Soccer’s Playoff seminfinals, and goals being scored, none of the two designated players put their names on the scoreboard.
It was Kamara’s teammate, Columbus Crew’s Federico Higuain who scored the first goal of the match, which is his season’s 9th goal. The Argentinian took a headed clearance attempt by Montreal’s Didier Drogba and scored from the center of the box (33’).
Montreal Impact 0 – 1 Columbus Crew
Montreal Impact came back with a reply shortly thereafter, with Marco Donadel taking a corner kick, to Patrice Bernier who headed in the equalizer from close range (37’).
Montreal Impact 1 – 1 Columbus Crew
Both teams tried to create opportunities in the second half, where Columbus did possess the ball for long periods but failed to capitalize.
Late in the second half, Montreal’s Johan Venegas snatched a ball easily from Columbus’s Michael Parkhurst in the last third, and launched an attack from the left with Didier Drogba at the right wing.
Venegas fired an accurate shot from the left edge of the box, and scored the winning goal (77’).
Montreal Impact 2 – 1 Columbus Crew
Although Columbus Crew controlled the game in term of possession (57%) and for long periods of time, the visitors failed to translate that possession into opportunities. The Crew produced only 6 shots vs. Montreal’s 12, of which 3 were on target vs. Montreal’s 7.
The teams will meet again on the second Leg of this MLS Playoff semifinals in Columbus next Sunday, November 8th.
