Under rainy and cold conditions, the Montreal Impact fell to the Chicago Fire by a 3-0 score on Saturday night, at Toyota Park, with an early goal, ejection to Marco Donadel in the 37th minute and a penalty kick eight minutes later turning the tide.
“There were moments that we turned the ball over too many times and that turned into opportunities for them,” said head coach Frank Klopas. “The team performance tonight was poor. We weren’t sharp, whether the field conditions played a part in it I don’t know, but we could have done better.”
“We were a bit slow to react in the middle and some of the matchups out wide were difficult,” said Calum Mallace. “The red card, the penalty and the tough conditions made it a difficult game to play. It’s difficult to get a starting eleven out there with all the injuries, but we have confidence in all the guys and we will keep grinding out until we get all guys healthy.”
The Fire opened the scoring in the 13th minute when a defensive error left striker Kennedy Igboananike alone on the left side of the 18. His low cross was controlled by Harry Shipp before the youngster fired it top corner.
Midfielder Marco Donadel was shown a second yellow card for a foul in the 37th minute and was ejected from the game.
Chicago then took a two-goal lead when the referee called a penalty on a suspect foul. Centre back Jeff Larentowicz converted the PK in the 45th minute.
Striker Kennedy Igboananike scored on a breakaway after the Fire intercepted an Impact goal kick and the Nigerian striker was played in alone on goalin the 72ndminute.
Despite the loss, Impact goalkeeper Evan Bush had another excellent outing, facing 19 shots and making eight saves, including two breakaways on Igboananike in the 37th and 67th minutes.
“We started off the game poorly and gave up the first goal early,” explained Bush. “After that, we got a red card and then a penalty. You get down 2-0 playing with 10 guys, you’re hoping to keep it close and pull one back, but we couldn’t do that tonight.”
Forward Anthony Jackson-Hamel made his season debut as a second half substitute.
The Impact will play its next game this Wednesday, June 3, against the Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Stade Saputo at 8pm EDT. (tickets: ticketmaster.ca).
LINEUPS
MTL – GK-Evan Bush; D-Nigel Reo-Coker, Laurent Ciman, Bakary Soumare, Donny Toia; M-Marco Donadel, Calum Mallace (Patrice Bernier 76’), Dilly Duka, Ignacio Piatti (Anthony Jackson-Hamel 60’), Ambroise Oyongo; F-Jack McInerney (Eric Alexander 46’)
Subs not used: GK-Eric Kronberg; D-Wandrille Lefèvre, M-Maxim Tissot; F-Romario Williams
CHI – GK-Jon Busch; D-Eric Gehrig, Jeff Larentowicz, Adailton, Joevin Jones; M-Matt Polster (do Prado 80’), Razvan Cocis, Harrison Shipp, Shaun Maloney, David Accam (Quincy Amarikwa 66’); F-Kennedy Igboananike (Jason Johnson 75’)
Subs not used: GK-Sean Johnson; D-Lovel Palmer; M-Michael Stephens, Matt Watson
GOALS
CHI – Shipp (Igboananike) 13’
CHI – Larentowicz (PK) 45’
CHI – Igboananike (Cocis) 72’
CAUTIONS
MTL – Reo-Coker 3’
MTL – Donadel 23’
MTL – Mallace 70’
EJECTION
MTL – Donadel (second caution) 37’
