Vancouver 2 – 3 Impact : Almost there…!

By: Franck | October 11th, 2009

Coming home with a one-goal lead…it isn’t much, but it’s better that than being in the opposite position.

In the 45th minute, Stephen DeRoux’s center for Roberto Brown went off a Whitecaps defender and into the back of the net.

In the 51st minute, Whitecaps Captain Martin Nash retaliated after a Roberto Brown tackle by providing his own dangerous tackle on Brown. Nash got a red for his actions, and will sit out the final match of the series.

Down ten men to the Impact’s eleven, the Whitecaps’ Marcus Haber intercepted a stray pass by DeRoux, and bolted down the pitch before sending a powerful right footed kick past keeper Matt Jordan in the 56th minute to tie the game up 1-1.

Peter Byers scored his second goal of the playoffs by putting one behind Caps keeper Jay Nolly in the 63rd minute, but two minutes later, midfielder Wes Knight recovered his own throw-in and sent a perfect cross into the box to Marlon James who headed one in the back of the net to tie it again, 2-2.

With Eduardo Sebrango and Rocco Placentino subbed in, both teams were attacking and it seemed that anything could happen. And then it did. In the 89th minute, Rocco sent a hard shot that Nolly had trouble controlling, sending the ball up in the air, with Sebrango leaping in and heading it into the net to give the Impact a 3-2 win, and a slight advantage coming into next Saturday’s game at Stade Saputo in Montreal.

The game starts at 2:30pm EST, and is available on Radio-Canada television and Fox Sports World.

I don’t usually take pics directly from other sites, but in this case, I figured I’d do so, so long as I give the quote. The pics on this post are from the Montreal Impact’s official photographer, Pépé:

Photo11-7147 Photo12-7168 Photo15-7371 Eddie Sebrango’s winning goal, in the 89th minute. Sebrango and Roberto Brown celebrate the winning goal. Peter Byers is surrounded by his teammates after scoring the Impact’s second goal.