Sanna Nyassi has been criticized before for being full of speed and devoid of skill, but he certainly showed a lot of skill on Wednesday night at Stade Saputo. The Gambian hit a perfect volley late in the Montreal Impact's match against the New England Revolution, rocketing the ball with one touch past a helpless Matt Reis for what would prove to be the winner in a 2-1 Montreal win.
Montreal Impact Vs. New England Revolution, 2012 MLS: Sanna Nyassi’s Volley Does The Job
Patrice Bernier opened the scoring with a penalty take that took some doing. After Nyassi drew the penalty, Bernier beat Reis, only to have it called back because the referee blew the whistle just before Bernier kicked. Bernier had to re-take the penalty and he hit it well again, hitting it low and into the side netting, but the referee called that one back, too. That meant Bernier would have to take the penalty a third time, and it looked just like the first two, well taken and leaving Reis without a chance.
It looked like Montreal would take that 1-0 lead into halftime, but Lee Nguyen wouldn't let that happen. Nguyen got the ball in space and, despite being 30 yards from goal, hit a bank shot. He rocketed the ball off the bar and then off the back of the leaping Donovan Ricketts. That redirected the ball back toward goal, and then over the line for a 44th-minute goal that got the Revs level before halftime.
But Nyassi still had to have his say. Justin Mapp, whose crosses were poor all match, got a good ball away and found Nyassi at the back post in the 67th minute. Nyassi then hit his sweet volley, and all three points were heading Montreal's way.
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