RSL’s streak ends in Montreal with 3-1 loss

Real Salt Lake’s six-game unbeaten run came to an end tonight as they fell to the Montreal Impact by a score of 3-1 at Stade Saputo. Ignacio Piatti tallied two and Anthony Jackson-Hamel got the third to drive the nail in the coffin.

The game started off on a low note for RSL as Marcelo Silva came off in the sixth minute with an apparent hamstring injury after a defensive play while Montreal was attacking. David Horst came on to replace the injured center back.

It got worse for the visitors as Montreal easily opened the scoring with a 10th-minute goal from Ignacio Piatti after what looked like a handball in the box at the other end that went uncalled. The home side would go up on RSL 1-0.

It took RSL about 16 minutes to answer back as Luis Silva nailed the equalizer from a tight angle on the right side of the net. The assist came from Albert Rusnak as the game was tied up 1-1.

That only lasted three minutes, when a whiff from Dominic Oduro found its way to Nacho Piatti in front of the net. As Tony Beltran went to ground in an attempt to dispossess, Piatti kept the ball and slotted it just past Rimando to put the Impact up 2-1 in the 29th minute.

The teams would head into the locker room at halftime sitting at 2-1, with RSL leading in shots 8-7, with three on frame to Montreal’s two, while the Impact led in possession 53% - 47%.

It didn’t take long for Montreal to add to their tally when Anthony Jackson-Hamel notched his seventh goal of the season in the 48th minute. The home side was able to slot a perfect ball right past Justen Glad into Jackson, who was able to bang it right into the net past Rimando, increasing the lead to 3-1.

RSL was given a gift in the 56th minute when a Montreal goal was called back for offside. It would have seen Piatti’s third goal of the game, completing his hat trick. Luckily, the referee correctly made the offside call and the score remained 3-1.

Glad made a giant goal-line save in the 90th minute to keep Montreal from adding to their score. The ball had snuck past Rimando and was rolling toward a wide open empty net, but Glad was able to turn on the jets and get back to make the clear at the last second, while slamming his leg into the goal post in what looked like a scary moment for the young defender.

Although RSL outshot Montreal 18-14, it didn’t matter much as the home side got the full three points while they rolled to their third straight win. RSL’s six-game unbeaten run came to an untimely end as they have to gear up and look forward to a crucial Western Conference match-up against San Jose on Wednesday, where they’ll look to grab some vital points as we enter the playoff push.