Impact downs Whitecaps without Drogba

The Montreal Impact did not miss Didier Drogba on Sunday.

Ignacio Piatti scored two goals, including the winner, and added an assist as the Impact edged the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-2 at B.C. Place Stadium. Piatti provided the offence as Cameroonian superstar Drogba stayed home because he did not want to play on the artificial turf at B.C. Place Stadium.

“I think that (Piatti) had an excellent match,” said Montreal coach Mauro Biello, speaking in French. “He was extraordinary on the ball. What decisions! … Two excellent goals.”

The Impact held 2-0 and 3-1 leads from which the Whitecaps – who controlled play for long stretches, particularly in the second half – could not recover. Piatti scored his goals in the 19th and 88th minutes while taking advantage of defensive breakdowns.

On the first, after a giveaway by rookie Whitecaps defender Fraser Aird, he was allowed to run across the Vancouver box with the ball and slot home a shot in the lower right corner. The second goal came on a counter-attack as Piatti took a pass from Dominic Oduro on a two-on-one, drew Vancouver goalkeeper David Ousted to the near post and then slid a shot inside the far post.

“At different moments, he made it look easy,” said Biello in English. “And, to be able score two goals like that on the road was great.”

Oduro scored the other Impact goal on a miscommunication by Ousted and central defender Kendall Waston. Ousted slid past a loose ball as Oduro was running on to a lead pass from Piatti, leaving an open net to shoot at freely.

“We have a lot of guys that score goals this year, and (Piatti) showed that tonight,” said Impact goalkeeper Evan Busch.

In other words, Montreal can rely on more players than Drogba, who scored 11 goals and helped the Impact make a late run to the playoffs after he signed midway through the 2015 season.

“Obviously, (Drogba), we can’t take away what he brought to the team last year,” said Biello, continuing in English. “He’s a superstar, but I stress the importance of everybody on this team and the roles that they play and the responsibilities that they have. Each one of them is important. And, when they get their opportunity to perform, it’s about moments – and it’s about being good in those moments.

“From our ’keeper all the way to our best player, we have to have a mindset that’s shared and ready to fight. With the quality of players that we have, we feel that we have a balanced attack – and when (Drogba) comes back, it’s going to help us more.”

Jordan Harvey, on a Pedro Morales free kick in the 45th minute, and Waston on a header off a Christian Bolanos corner-kick  moments before the final whistle, scored for the Whitecaps.

“I’d rather win than score,” said a dejected Waston.

In addition to demonstrating Montreal’s offensive diversity, the game hinted that Canada’s MLS squad could excel this season. The Impact appears to be a solid team, the Whitecaps are viewed as a championship contender, and Toronto FC should be considerably better after missing the playoffs last season.

Stay tuned for some strong results from the Canadian squads – with or without Drogba in Montreal’s lineup.

Whitecaps-Impact draw pales in comparison to FIFA World Cup

Carl Robinson could not be accused of putting a positive spin on his team's performance Wednesday night.
The Vancouver Whitecaps coach was less than impressed with their showing in a 0-0 draw with the Montreal Impact on Wednesday night.
The sellout crowd of 21,000 went home unhappy, even though the Caps (5-2-7) remained unbeaten in eight games after struggling against the Impact (2-7-5), who share last place overall in Major League Soccer with Chivas USA.
"It wasn't very enjoyable watching it, was it?" Robinson asked rhetorically. "I didn't enjoy watching it, and I think the players didn't enjoy playing in it. Bad day at the office,l I think we call it, and take a point. I think we're happy for a point. They could have won it. I think we could have won it."
Robinson said the Whitecaps, playing their first game after the MLS break for the FIFA World Cup, did not play up to the standard that they have displayed this season. He is in favour of not playing any games during the World Cup, which is continuing. Watching this game after viewing the 0-0 draw between France and Ecuador earlier in the day was like going from a pro game to a high school contest.
Since there was little to talk about in the game, other than the outstanding goalkeeping of Vancouver's David Ousted, Robinson broached a couple of subjects that merit further discussion. He is in favour of MLS not playing any games during the World Cup, and that is an idea that should be seriously considered -- just to avoid negative comparisons between North America's top professional circuit and the rest of the planet.
The NHL takes a break during the Olympics for obvious reasons. Most of the top players suit up for their countries in the Games. The same would not be the case for MLS players, because relatively few get called up to their national sides.
"There's arguments from both sides -- I think there really is," said Robinson of the decision to halt or continue MLS games during the World.een gr "It's been great watching the World Cup. The players have enjoyed watching the World Cup. It's hard to get back (after the break.) That's the reality. Constantly training players during the break, come September (and) October, then they get tired, then you haven't given them enough time off.
"When you find the answer, let me know, because figure (the solution) out, let me know, because I'm sitting and trying to figure out what it is."
One solution to brightening Wednesday's drudgery would be to decide the game in a shootout. In other words: Penalty kicks.
As the World Cup and other international events show, there is no shortage of suspense when a game is decided, after extra time, by penalties. A shootout would add more drama to a sport that, outside of playoffs, still welcomes draws. Few, if any, other sports in the world still allow ties to count in the standings.
Soccer prefers to hang on to a tradition that is badly out of date. Players might hate shootouts, and reporters on deadline are not overly fond of them, but fans would welcome them, and they would make a difference in the standings, since soccer awards three points for a win and one for a tie. Keeping the points system the same, but giving a point to the losing squad, as in hockey, would be a positive move.
Unlike in hockey, if winning teams get three points and losers get one, shootout wins in soocer would enable teams to gain clear separation from their rivals and make a significant difference in playoff positions. The possibility of going to the shootout, and only getting one point instead of three, would also motivate teams to seek wins in regulation time.
If a shootout were available, Wednesday's snoozer at B.C. Place Stadium would have been easily avoided, and Vancouver Whitecaps fans would have gone home entertained.