Montreal Impact Trip Up Columbus Crew With 2-0 Win

The talk from Columbus Crew training last week was to maintain focus. The Black and Gold had won two games in a row against tough opposition, but couldn't afford to overlook the struggling Montreal Impact. The Crew may have kept their sights on the Impact, but it was not the same type of performance as prior contests.

Montreal, who had only managed four wins on the campaign, took advantage of a lackluster Columbus side by the score of 2-0. Both goals game courtesy of new Designated Player signing, Ignacio Piatti.

Both teams had chances in the opening 10 minutes to take the lead, but neither could convert. Crew maestro Federico Higuain found midfielder Wil Trapp well outside the top of the Impact's penalty area four minutes into the match, but his shot narrowly missed goalkeeper Evan Bush's goal.

Just three minutes later midfielder Andres Romero got in behind the Columbus defense but recovering left back Waylon Francis denied him with a sliding tackle.

Piatti opened the scoring in the 40^th minute, but his strike was foreshadowed 10 minutes previous forcing Crew goalkeeper Steve Clark into a big save from the top of the 18-yard box.

Clark was unable to make the stop just before the halftime whistle, as Piatti took advantage of a giveaway at midfield by Trapp and took it to goal, cut by a defender before dispatching it in the net for a 1-0 lead.

Striker Marco Di Vaio had an opportunity to double the lead in the 71^st minute after a long switch of the field gave him a chance inside the box but his shot went just wide.

The Crew pushed numbers forward over the final 15 minutes but were unable to find an equalizer. They were punished on the counterattack in stoppage time when defender Tyson Wahl's tackle went right to Piatti, who slotted it home for the 2-0 victory.

The Black and Gold return home next Sunday for an encounter with another struggling side in Chivas USA.