Match Thoughts: Montreal Impact vs. Toronto FC

Montreal Impact's Tyson Wahl in their win over TFC (AP Images)

I'm sure the Montreal Impact would have loved to have picked up their first MLS win before now, but I doubt they'll argue with getting it over their Canadian rivals Toronto FC.  Both of these clubs played, and lost, midweek but under different circumstances.  The Impact put out a gutsy performance and lost 1-0 at Real Salt Lake.  Toronto got put to the sword by Santos in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions League, 6-2.

Despite their drubbing in Mexico, Toronto FC looked pretty decent coming out in the opening minutes, creating a couple of chances.  In the 10th minute Logan Emory put a header wide of goal off of an attacking set piece.  Then in the 16th minute Nick Soolsma had a good look but tapped his shot just wide as well.  Soolsma was probably on TFC's best performers on the day.

Unfortunately it was bad defense and possession play that proved to be the Reds undoing in this one as well.  In the 18th minute Montreal's Sinisa Ubiparpovic got the ball from Lamar Neagle, who took it off of a lazy Terry Dunfield.  Ubiparipovic side footed the ball past Milos Kocic to make it 1-0 to Montreal.  Later, in the 28th minute, Sanna Nyassi had his chance on a break well saved by Kocic, and the teams went to the break with the Impact leading 1-0.

Montreal continued the attack in the second half as Toronto just looked war weary.  Both Felipe and Neagle had decent looks in the opening 20 minutes, but Kocic came up big and denied them.  That poor guy has just faced a firing squad this last couple of weeks.  Things didn't get any better for TFC when Emory was hit with a straight red card in the 66th minute for denying Nyassi a clear goal scoring opportunity.

There were more goals to be had in this one though.  Montreal looked to seal the match in the 81st minute when Andrew Wenger slotted the ball past Kocic on the break to make it 2-0.  It was Wenger's first MLS and professional goal.  Danny Koevermans pulled one back for Toronto in the 88th minute, heading in a cross to make it 2-1 and end the Impact's clean sheet, but it was too little, too late as the Impact held on for the 2-1 win.

The win is the first for Montreal, the former NASL side, in MLS play.  It puts them on four points.  The loss keeps Toronto in the cellar with 0 points.  They're the only MLS side to still not have a point this season.  The LA Galaxy are last in the west with three.