Late Taider brace rallies Impact past Sounders

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:22 am

Saphir Taider scored twice late in the second half as the Montreal Impact rallied for a 2-1 victory against the visiting Seattle Sounders on Wednesday night.

Taider tied the score on a penalty kick in the 74th minute and got the eventual winner in the 78th minute for the Impact (8-7-3, 27 points), which won for the second time in the past six matches.

Victor Rodriguez scored on a penalty kick for the Sounders (7-4-5, 26 points), who lost their third consecutive match.

Taider took a low cross from Omar Browne and put a left-footed half-volley over Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei from about 8 yards out for the winner. It was Taider's team-leading seventh goal of the season.

Four minutes earlier, Taider drew a foul against Seattle defender Kelvin Leerdam in the penalty area and converted the kick.

The Sounders took a 1-0 lead in the 64th minute, after midfielder Harry Shipp was fouled by Victor Cabrera in the penalty area. Rodriguez scored from the spot.

It was a wild finish to a match that didn't have a shot on goal until the 60th minute.

Alex Roldan and Saphir Taider
Alex Roldan and Saphir Taider
Jean-Yves Ahern-USA TODAY Sports

Both teams were playing short-handed because of the international break, with both calling up players from their United Soccer League affiliates to reach the minimum of 14 field players available for the match.

Sounders midfielder Danny Leyva, 16, made his MLS debut when he came on as a substitute in the 82nd minute.

The Sounders had eight players away with various national teams while the Impact had four.

Sounders captain Nicolas Lodeiro (Uruguay) and leading scorer Raul Ruidiaz (Peru) headed the list of players already with their national teams. Also away were: forward Jordan Morris (U.S.); midfielders Cristian Roldan (U.S.) and Gustav Svensson (Sweden); and defenders Xavier Arreaga (Ecuador), Roman Torres (Panama) and Brad Smith (Australia).

The Impact were missing midfielder Samuel Piette (Canada) and defenders Daniel Lovitz (U.S.), Zachary Brault-Guillard (Canada) and Jukka Raitala (Finland).

Neither team had a shot on goal in the first half in which Montreal had two attempts and Seattle none.