Slow starts to both halves doomed Philadelphia Union to a loss on the road in Montreal Saturday night. Lassi Lappalainen scored in the fourth and 46th minutes in his MLS debut to lead the Impact in both clubs’ final match before the All-Star game midweek.
Lappalainen’s opener came off a smart run behind Ray Gaddis as Zachary Brault-Guillard drove in off the right side. The Finnish winger rounded Andre Blake and tapped home what would be the winning goal.
In the 21st minute, the Union looked to respond through Ale Bedoya. The captain burst up the center and zipped a long range shot to the left of Evan Bush’s goal. Igancio Piatti, in his return to MLS action after a long layoff, proved a handful in the center and was a catalyst for many of the Canadians’ best moves.
Piatti started the break that led to Montreal’s second goal when he found Orji Okwonkwo in the right channel on the break. Okwonkwo forced Matt Real onto his heels before smacking a deflected drive past Blake.
Kacper Przybylko’s shot off the post was the last big chance of the half for either side, but the Impact didn’t wait long to stretch out their lead when the second frame began.
Eighteen seconds into the second half, a turnover in midfield allowed Lappalainen in again and he ghosted down the left side with the ball, looking off Auston Trusty before tucking into the far post.
Ilsinho entered the match and Philadelphia sprung to life for a few moments. First, the Brazilian set up Przybylko for a shot inside the box and then Fafa Picault pushed play forward and earned a foul on the top of the box that led to a Marco Fabian free kick into the wall.
Jim Curtin went to a 3-5-2 when he pulled Real and brought on new signing Andrew Wooten. Picault pushed out wide and Philly played two big strikers up top as they tried to own the box against a deep Impact defense.
Before Wooten could make a difference, Okwonkwo had his second of the night when he tore down the pitch after a Union corner kick and fired his finish far post past a stranded Blake.
The Union rebounded from a difficult road loss with a win over Chicago last weekend and they will look to do so once again when they travel to face DC United next Sunday at 7:30 p.m. ET on FS1.
