The Montreal Impact’s victory on Saturday was important in a number of ways.
It was a return to winning following a string of three matches over all competitions, but it also propelled the Impact back into first place in the Eastern Conference.
The Impact has only allowed 5 goals in 7 games. Only the Galaxy has allowed fewer (4).
With Sporting Kansas City falling to the Portland Timbers 3-2 on Saturday and the Houston Dynamo playing the Colorado Rapids to a 1-1 draw on Sunday, the Impact has sole possession of first place on 16 points – two ahead of the New York Red Bulls, the Dynamo and SKC, with games in hand on all of them.
Despite holding the second seeding in the entire league, second to FC Dallas with 20 points, the Impact has the highest points per game at 2.29 as the team from Texas has played two more games in the race for the Supporters Shield.
It took the Impact 16 games to earn its fifth win in 2012; this year, the team accomplished that feat in just seven matches.
Last season, the team finished with the fourth worst goals against in MLS with 51 in 34 games. In 2013, the team is tied for second best with just five goals allowed in seven matches. Only the LA Galaxy has allowed fewer (4).
Impact management has said that year two would be a return to its identity, and although it may still be early in the season, the team has seen some success thus far.
