Montreal shuts out opponent for third time in last four games
FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts – The Montreal Impact defeated the New England Revolution by clean sheet 3-0, Wednesday night at Gillette Stadium. Midfielder Shamit Shome scored the winning goal in the 79th minute, his first with the Impact and in MLS, while substitute Anthony Jackson-Hamel scored the insurance marker in the 85th minute, the 1,000th goal in club history, before completing his brace in stoppage time.
“We are satisfied because the preparation for this game was more than complicated,” said Impact head coach Rémi Garde. “The group reacted well and did not use this situation as an excuse, but as motivation. They showed that when we are all together, we have a collective force that is good to see on the pitch. We gave them problems tonight with more intensity, while keeping our defensive rigour.”
The win is Montreal’s third on the road this season, equaling the club’s point total in 2018 away from home after just eight road games. With 14 points, the Impact is now second in the Eastern Conference standings. It marks a first win on New England’s field since October 17, 2015.
Impact dominant in first half
Rémi Garde’s men were dominant in the first half, attempting 10 shots, five of those on target, while staying sturdy defensively, allowing no shots to the hosts. It marks the first road game in the team’s MLS history in which it didn’t allow a shot in the first half.
The visitors got the game’s first look on net, when a Montreal corner taken by defender Daniel Lovitz found its way to midfielder Shamit Shome, waiting atop the box, but his ensuing strike was stopped by goalkeeper Cody Cropper.
A few minutes later, in the 10th minute, striker Maxi Urruti managed to break out from midfield on the right flank. The Argentinean ran all the way to the box, sending in a low cross that found defender Zachary Brault-Guillard. His ensuing effort was stopped by Cropper, the rebound falling to midfielder Micheal Azira, whose follow-up shot from close was also stopped.
The Impact was it again, this time in the 19th minute, when midfielder Shamit Shome sent Orji Okwonkwo on the run on the right flank. The Nigerian was able to cut inside and shoot, but he rattled the crossbar.
Okwonkwo had another opportunity a few minutes later from the same side, opting for the near post with power this time instead, but he missed just wide.
In the 42nd minute, after Okwonkwo was fouled outside the box, Urruti’s ensuing free-kick from the left side was saved by a diving Cropper, keeping the score level before the break.
Three goals in the second
The Revs got their best opportunity in the 65th minute, when a corner sent in by midfielder Diego Fagundez was headed from a difficult angle by Juan Agudelo, but his shot skimmed the bar on the way out of play.
Finally, the breakthrough came in the 79th minute. After the referee called a handball just outside the opponent’s box, defender Daniel Lovitz’s curled shot off the set-piece was stopped by Cropper, but Shome was first on the rebound, knocking it in for his first MLS goal.
Then, six minutes, later, in the 85th, Lovitz managed to dribble past his defender on the left side, running down the flank and crossing for substitute Anthony Jackson-Hamel, who redirected the ball past Cropper to give the visitors a two-goal lead.
Finally, Jackson-Hamel completed the brace in stoppage time, dribbling past his defender near the box before taking a shot that found its way past Cropper and in the bottom-right corner.
“It feels great. I was excited to play with that group tonight. I could not be more proud of them,” said Evan Bush, who registered his fourth clean sheet this season. “What we’ve been through the last 24 hours should never happen, but we used it as a motivation to come here. It’s not about convenience for the players, it was a matter of player safety. We’re lucky not to get players injured today.”
Upcoming games
The Impact will play two consecutive games at Stade Saputo for the first time this season after its visit to Massachusetts, starting with a matchup against the Chicago Fire on Sunday, April 28 at 12:30pm (TICKETS – TVA Sports, 98.5, TSN 690). Excellent tickets for Sunday’s game are still available, as well as season or partial memberships on impactmontreal.com. The Impact recommends adequately planning your transport, use public transportation and arrive early. Stade Saputo’s doors will open at 10:30am to allow you to enjoy the atmosphere and take advantage of numerous activities in the stadium’s corridors. From 10:30 to 11:30am, the classic 2-for-1 on all drink will be in place. Don’t miss our new pregame ritual, during which supporters can welcome players in Stade Saputo’s North grandstand, 90 minutes before kickoff. Montreal will then host New York City FC on Saturday, May 4 at 5pm, for a second game in a month against the Citizens (TICKETS – TVA Sports, 98.5, TSN 690).
LINE-UPS
MTL – GK-Evan Bush; D-Zachary Brault-Guillard, Zakaria Diallo, Víctor Cabrera, Daniel Lovitz; M-Samuel Piette, Micheal Azira, Shamit Shome (Mathieu Choinière 84’); F-Clément Bayiha, Maximiliano Urruti (Anthony Jackson-Hamel 71’), Orji Okwonkwo (Jukka Raitala 80’)
Subs not used – Clément Diop, Bacary Sagna, Rudy Camacho, Omar Browne
NE – GK-Cody Cropper; D-Andrew Farrell, Michael Mancienne, Edgar Castillo, Jalil Anibaba; M-Scott Caldwell (Cristian Penilla 71’), Carles Gil, Luis Caicedo, Diego Fagundez (Brian Wright 82’); F-Juan Agudelo, Teal Bunbury (Juan Fernando Caicedo 59’)
Subs not used – Matt Turner, Antonio Mlinar Delamea, Wilfried Zahibo, Brandon Bye
GOALS
MTL – Shome 79’
MTL – Jackson-Hamel (Lovitz) 85’
MTL – Jackson-Hamel (Bayiha) 90’+3’
CAUTIONS
NE – Caldwell 58’
MTL – Piette 72’
