MONTREAL -- The Montreal Impact suffered a third straight loss Sunday night, losing 1-0 to Orlando City SC at Red Bull Arena.
Daryl Dike scored the only goal of the game in the 39th minute beating Clement Diop, who delivered a high-level performance, especially in the second half.
Despite 15 shots attempted, including five on target, the Impact (7-13-2) were shut out for a second straight time after losing by the same score last Tuesday against Nashville. Before these two games, the Impact were riding a 13-game streak with at least one goal.
Thierry Henry's men, therefore, remain at 23 points. They had a chance to secure their place in the playoffs on Sunday with a win and draws for Inter Miami CF and D.C. United.
Montreal will complete their regular season schedule next Sunday when they visit D.C. United in Washington.
The match will start at 3:30 p.m., like the other six Eastern Association teams. The games will determine the fate of the Impact.
COSTLY FAILURE
Henry's players made a fairly good impression at the start of the match, with sustained presences in opposing territory.
The Impact players' efforts, however, only led to one shot on target during the first half, out of four attempts.
The shot came from Samuel Piette on the right flank after a precise cross from Rudy Camacho in the 22nd minute, which forced goalkeeper Pedro Gallese to be vigilant.
Even though they dominated in terms of shots attempted, duels won, corner kicks attempted, and crosses during the first 45-minute segment, the Impact players returned to the locker room facing a setback on the scoreboard.
After being left to maneuver at will not far from the central circle, Mauricio Peyreira made a good pass that Dike was able to recover after slipping behind the defensive wall in Montreal.
Dike showed up in the penalty area, and, despite having Camacho by his side, he managed to shoot the ball with his right foot low to the pitch and to the right of Diop for his seventh goal of the campaign.
In the second half, Bojan led of the Montreal attack.
His first two strikes, in the 61st and 67th minutes, missed the target, while the third, in the 69th minute, was grabbed by Gallese.
At the other end, Diop allowed the Impact to stay within striking distance by blocking attempts by Benji Michel, in the 63rd minute, and Tesho Akindele, a dozen minutes later.
Diop also intervened successfully in the 79th minute, preventing Ruan from capitalizing on a cross from Junior Urso, and another important save, in the 80th minute of play against Michel, once again.
During the last five minutes of regulation time and during stoppage time, the Impact threatened.
Bojan, once again, was, however, frustrated by Gallese.
-- this report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 1, 2020.
