Urruti on target as Impact top Whitecaps

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:21 am

Max Urruti scored his third goal of the season to put host Montreal in front before half-time, and the Impact held on in a scoreless second half to beat the Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1 on Wednesday night at Stade Saputo.

Urruti also helped force the Whitecaps into conceding an own goal to tie the match three minutes before his emphatic low volley helped the Impact climb above the playoff line in the Eastern Conference.

Montreal (11-14-4, 37 points) sits in the seventh and final playoff spot currently, even on points with Toronto FC but holding the first tiebreaker of total wins. Toronto, however, has two games in hand. The Impact can also go ahead of sixth place D.C. United with a victory when they meet Saturday in Montreal.

Yordy Reyna scored his sixth goal of the season in the 17th minute for the Whitecaps (6-14-9, 27 points), who remain last in the West and would be mathematically eliminated from postseason contention if Dallas and San Jose both win their home games this weekend.

Reyna might have had a seventh from the penalty spot in the 25th minute following Samuel Piette's foul on Michaell Chirinos. Instead, Evan Bush guessed correctly to save Reyna's penalty twice. The second was a dive to Bush's right, after referee Ismail Elfath ordered the first retaken, ruling Bush had moved off the goal line early.

Maximiliano Urruti
Maximiliano Urruti
Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports

It only got worse from there for Vancouver. In the 34th minute, Urruti got around the right corner and then tried to spot Bojan at the top of the six-yard box with a low cross. Doneil Henry slid to break up the pass, but instead redirected the ball into his own net.

Three minutes later, Bacary Sagna's cross floated past three players on the near side of the goal and to Urruti on the back post. Urruti controlled the ball with his chest first, then fired a low, volley inside the right post for his second goal in five games after an otherwise slow first season in Montreal.

Vancouver took the lead in the 17th minute when Tosaint Ricketts beat his man to get to the byline on the left side of the penalty area and played a cross toward Chirinos at the near post. With Sagna pressuring, Chirinos managed only a slight touch that found Reyna alone at the back post for a tap-in.