Impact rally to draw ‘Caps in Amway Canadian final

MONTREAL—What a wild and crazy game.

Down by two goals, the Montreal Impact scored twice in quick succession in the final six minutes of regulation to earn a dramatic 2-2 draw with the Vancouver Whitecaps in the first leg of the Amway Canadian Championship final on Wednesday night before 12, 395 fans at Stade Saputo.

Montreal totally dominated proceedings but looked certain to suffer a disappointing loss after Darren Mattocks and Pedro Morales scored early in the second half to give Vancouver the lead. But Montreal battled back courtesy of goals from Laurent Ciman and substitute Anthony Jackson-Hamel to salvage a draw and keep alive their hopes for a three-peat.

Despite the draw, the Whitecaps still have the advantage thanks to two crucial road goals as they prepare to host the return match of this aggregate series on Aug. 26.

Both coaches claimed the moral victory.

“We’re very much in the tie going back home,” Vancouver manager Carl Robinson said.

“I think we’ve given ourselves an opportunity. A 2-0 loss would have been disaster. We scored those two goals so there’s everything to play for,” Montreal’s Frank Klopas stated.

The Impact are the reigning two-time champions. Vancouver has never won the Canadian Championship, and watched as Montreal hoisted the trophy at BC Place Stadium after the 2013 final. Not only are Canadian bragging rights on the line, but the tournament winner will also qualify for the group stage of the 2016-17 CONCACAF Champions League.

Robinson made eight changes from Saturday’s 4-0 MLS win against Real Salt Lake, keeping Kendall Waston, Jordan Harvey and Matias Laba in the starting lineup. Klopas gave designated player Ignacio Piatti the night off. Captain Patrice Bernier was suspended, while Didier Drogba isn’t expected to make his Impact debut until later this month.

Montreal enjoyed the majority of possession in the first half, its slick passing game and quick ball movement forcing Vancouver to chase shadows. Ciman in particular was outstanding for the home side, launching attacks with his precise balls from out of defence.

Still, Klopas thought his team could have done better in the opening 45 minutes.

“We had the ball but we weren’t as dangerous in the final third with the final pass and shot. We had a lot of possession but when we got to the final third our execution was too slow,” Klopas said.

Maxim Tissot’s stinging shot beat Whitecaps goalkeeper Paolo Tornaghi but hit the post in the third minute after a sweeping attacking move by the Impact. Moments later Nigel Reo-Coker forced a fingertip save from Tornaghi with a low drive from just outside the box.

Vancouver’s only opportunity of the opening half came in the 18th minute when Darren Mattocks broke in on goal after a Montreal giveaway. Goalkeeper Erik Kronberg did well to rush off his line and force Mattock out wide as the scoring chance went begging.

Vancouver defender Diego Rodriguez didn’t return after halftime due to a right quad contusion, and was replaced by Christian Dean. Montreal picked up where it left off to start the second half with Reo-Coker again testing Tornaghi from in close with a tight-angled shot.

Justin Mapp was greeted by a standing ovation when he entered the match for Montreal as a substitute in the 60th minute. It was the veteran midfielder’s first appearance since suffering a shoulder injury in the Impact’s first MLS game of the season on March 7.

Vancouver broke the deadlock in the 65th minute with a goal against the run of play. Kianz Froese fought off Montreal veteran Marco Donadel before delivering a ball into the middle of the six-yard box for Darren Mattocks to slot home. It was a quality finish from Mattocks, but Impact defender Wandrille Lefevre should have cleared the ball before it even got to the Jamaican international.

The Whitecaps doubled their advantage seven minutes later when Pedro Morales scored on a curling free kick from an angle. It was a magnificent strike by the Chilean, but Kronberg should have stopped it.

Montreal furiously pressed for a goal and was rewarded for its efforts in the 84th minute when Ciman powered home a header off a Donadel corner kick. Moments later, Mapp ripped apart the Whitecaps with a simple pass in the box for Jackson-Hamel to finish from the top of the six-yard box.

“He’s a difference maker in the final third,” Klopas said of Mapp.

NOTES: The Canadian champion will receive the Voyageurs Cup trophy, which was originally funded and awarded by the Voyageurs, a Canadian soccer supporters group founded in 1996… Montreal won every Voyageurs Cup from 2002-2007 when it was awarded to the best Canadian team in the old USL First Division. A formal tournament was first held in 2008… Since 2008, the Canadian Soccer Association has presented the Voyageurs Cup to the tournament champion… Vancouver resumes its MLS campaign on Saturday when it visits Sporting Kansas City. Montreal has a bye this week and returns to MLS action the following Saturday vs. Philadelphia when Drogba is expected to play.