Final
SKC, Montreal meet at the Stade Saputo
Jul 11, 2014 - 8:51 PM Montreal, QC (SportsNetwork.com) - Two teams at opposite ends of the spectrum will meet at the Stade Saputo on Saturday as the Montreal Impact plays host to Sporting Kansas City.The Impact enter the weekend at the foot of the Eastern Conference table having taken just 14 points from their 16 games thus far.
Sporting, meanwhile, comes into the round just two points adrift of first- place D.C. United.
Kansas City is in the midst of a three-game unbeaten run that has seen the club collect seven points from a possible nine. The reigning MLS Cup champions most recently played to a 1-1 draw with the Chicago Fire, a match that saw Dom Dwyer continue his torrid scoring pace by netting his 12th goal of the season.
"I'd rather have three points, but it's nice to get on the score sheet," Dwyer said. "I was more excited that I cleared one off the line, to be honest. I really wanted to keep a clean sheet today and was gutted when we allowed one. I thought we defended well throughout the whole game, so I'm a little disappointed there."
Dwyer's goals could be in further demand given that Sporting goalkeeper Eric Kronberg will be out of action for approximately eight weeks after fracturing a bone in his hand during training on Wednesday.
Sporting head coach Peter Vermes will turn to either Jon Kempin or Andy Gruenebaum to deputize for the club's first-choice 'keeper, and Montreal will be hoping to pounce on whoever fills in.
The Impact earned a comfortable 3-0 victory over the Houston Dynamo on June 29 and appeared be gaining some momentum after playing a surging Chivas USA side even through the final stages of their meeting on Saturday, but a bicycle kick from Erick Torres in stoppage time doomed Montreal to its eighth defeat of the season.
"I felt that we should have walked away with points today," said head coach Frank Klopas. "It's heartbreaking the way we were seconds away and to give up a goal like that, sometimes the game is cruel and I feel for my players. We put a lot into the game and deserved a point."
It was the first Montreal had conceded since MLS resumed action following the World Cup break, and midfielder Justin Mapp echoed his coach's sentiments that the Impact deserved a share of the spoils.
"It's really disappointing to give up that goal at the end of the game, which was otherwise a good road performance," said Justin Mapp. "An unlucky deflection at the end and the bicycle kick finds the back of the net. Other than that, I thought we were really good defensively and created a few half chances close in on goal, but we weren't as efficient in the final third. That's how it goes sometimes."
- SPORTING KANSAS CITY: 2
MONTREAL: 1
Final
Jul 12 9:31 PM - SPORTING KANSAS CITY: 2
MONTREAL: 1
2nd Half - 90'
Sporting Kansas City 2, CF Montreal 1 90'Jul 12 9:24 PM - SPORTING KANSAS CITY: 1
MONTREAL: 1
Halftime
Jul 12 8:24 PM - SPORTING KANSAS CITY: 1
MONTREAL: 1
1st Half - 28'
Sporting Kansas City 1, CF Montreal 1 28'Jul 12 8:06 PM - SPORTING KANSAS CITY: 1
MONTREAL: 0
1st Half - 4'
Sporting Kansas City 1, CF Montreal 0 4'Jul 12 7:42 PM - SPORTING KANSAS CITY: 0
MONTREAL: 0
1st Half - 9'
Jul 12 7:39 PM
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