Late Impact PK ends Crew's home winning streak

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:13 am

Bojan Krkic's 74th-minute penalty kick led Montreal to a 2-1 victory at Columbus on Wednesday, ending the Impact's five-game winless streak and handing the Crew their first home loss of the season.

Lassi Lappalainen gave the Impact (6-8-2, 20 points) a 1-0 lead in the 25th minute, but Gyasi Zardes tied it for the Crew (9-3-4, 31 points) in the 45th before Bojan's goal from the spot.

Columbus has two losses and a tie after a 4-0-2 streak.

The penalty was given after video review deemed Hector Jimenez fouled Bojan at the top of the box. Although Crew goalkeeper Andrew Tabell, playing for the injured Eloy Room, guessed correctly, Bojan scored his second goal of the season to the lower right corner.

Columbus was 6-0-0 this season at home and was unbeaten there in 11 games (8-0-3) since a 2-1 loss to the Seattle Sounders on July 6, 2019.

Montreal goalie Clement Diop (five saves) kept the lead with a stop of Pedro Santos in the 79th minute.

Bojan played a role in Montreal's first goal. His strike hit the crossbar and rebounded to Lappalainen, who directed a header toward goal only to have the ball go off the right arm of Crew defender Harrison Afful.

Lappalainen followed and chipped the ball in for his fourth goal, second in as many games, before referee Victor Rivas blew his whistle for a handball.

The goal stood and Afful was issued a yellow card.

Lappalainen left in the 61st minute with a possible shoulder injury.

The Crew tied it when a Milton Valenzuela cross deflected off Montreal defender Luis Binks and skipped off the face of Zardes, who was credited with his 10th goal.

But the Crew could not find another, and Montreal did not allow multiple goals for the first time in eight games.

On Sunday, the Crew play at Orlando City and Montreal visits Philadelphia.