The Montreal Impact certainly didn't look like a team that hadn't played a match in a month, with their 2-0 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps Tuesday night in Quebec.
Romell Quioto and Lassi Lappalainen scored first-half goals, and the Impact (3-2-1) won their first match since a 1-0 loss to Orlando City in the knockout round of the MLS is Back tournament on July 25.
Montreal played their first match of the year at Stade Saputo in front of a COVID-19-restricted crowd of 250, and became the first professional sports team in Canada to host fans at a sporting event since the start of the pandemic.
The Impact went ahead 1-0 on Quioto's third goal of the season, a header of Saphir Taider's cross into the box in the 18th minute. They took a 2-0 lead to halftime when Lappalainen got ahead of the Vancouver defense and put away a one-on-one chance in the 40th minute.
Clement Diop stopped the Whitecaps' best scoring chance, saving a penalty taken by Lucas Cavallini in the 51st minute.
The Whitecaps (2-6-0) left eastern Canada with zero points, zero goals and six goals conceded from three matches, following losses at Toronto FC on Aug. 18 and 21.
Goals
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: As good as the two goals were, the Impact's passing stood out. The assists from Taider and Emanuel Maciel on Lappalainen's goal were high quality, and Montreal took advantage of a young Whitecaps lineup early and made it stand. For the Whitecaps, no goals in regulation or extra time since a 2-0 win over Chicago Fire on July 23 at MLS is Back is a headache for coach Marc Dos Santos.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: Diop's comfortable save of Cavallini's penalty seemed to take away any momentum the Whitecaps could have generated with a goal. It was one of two saves for Diop on the night.
Up Next
- MTL: Friday, August 28 vs. Toronto FC (8 pm ET | TSN; MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US)
- VAN: Saturday, September 5 vs. Toronto FC (9:30 pm ET | TSN; MLS LIVE on ESPN+ in US)
