MONTREAL – It was the kind of match where CF Montreal couldn’t just come close. Not against such a weak opponent, not with so much at stake.
For 45 minutes, possibility hung like a gray cloud above Stade Saputo. The hosts arrived at the intermission with 11 shots on goal, including seven on target, but unable to break the ice.
Their good intentions ended up being rewarded.
Josef Martínez scored two goals in the first ten minutes of the second period, Caden Clark remained incandescent by scoring in a third consecutive home game and CF Montreal put a solid 3-0 on its schedule to remain at the top of the the race for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
Martínez, who himself had missed three quality chances in a handful of minutes at the end of the first half, got rid of the jinx by heading a corner kick struck by Bryce Duke in the 51ste.
The Venezuelan did it again four minutes later, pounced on a back pass from Clark to slip a precise shot between the goalkeeper and his post.
Montreal thus scored two goals in a fourth game in a row, its longest such streak this season.
Clark continued the party by himself completing a play passed by the feet of Dawid Bugaj and Duke in the 71ste. The young American hasn’t looked any different since his acquisition by the Impact. He has now directly contributed to six goals in his last four games.
With this logical victory, Laurent Courtois’ men have now collected ten points out of the last twelve that were at their disposal.
More details to come.
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