In a battle of this year's expansion team and last year's expansion team, this year's expansion team came out in front. The Montreal Impact, playing on their rock hard turf that nobody ever wants to have to watch a match on ever, took down the Portland Timbers, 2-0, to keep the Timbers in the Western Conference basement.
Montreal Impact Vs. Portland Timbers, 2012 MLS: Impact Come On Late For Win
Montreal had the better of the play for most of the contest. It wasn’t that Portland was awful, but Montreal’s pressure forced them into some mistakes, while the Timbers struggled to force the same mistakes from the Impact. Even so, much of the game passed without the Impact being able to take advantage of it.
Finally in the 76th minute, the Impact got their first goal as the referee awarded a controversial penalty. Collen Warner's shot bounced off of Steven Smith's leg then in the area of his arm. The referee deemed it to be a handball, even though the arm was near his body and it was a very quick play, which obviously upset the Timbers. Still, it was ruled a penalty, which Barnardo Corradi converted to give the Impact the lead.
Eight minutes later, Montreal put the game to bed. Davy Arnaud got the ball wide and crossed low, across the frame. Joe Bendik, who came on for an injured Troy Perkins, tried to get to the cross, but didn't get to it in time. That left Sinisa Ubiparipovic all alone at the back post for the easiest of tap ins as Montreal collected three points.
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