Montreal Impact snap out of skid with win over Inter Miami

Updated: May 17, 2023, 05:13 am

Maximiliano Urruti's fifth goal of the season gave the Montreal Impact a 2-1 victory over visiting Inter Miami on Saturday in Harrison, N.J.

In the 80th minute, a well-placed pass from Romell Quioto found striker Bojan in Miami's box. Bojan made a short pass to Urruti, who converted to clinch the badly needed three points for the struggling Impact.

Montreal won for just the second time (2-6-1) in its last nine games, snapping a two-game losing streak. The Impact moved into eighth place in the Eastern Conference and gave themselves some breathing room in the playoff race.

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Inter Miami could have pulled ahead of Montreal with a win, but the Herons instead remain below the playoff line. The defeat ends a three-game unbeaten streak (2-0-1) for Miami.

After missing Montreal's last game with a minor hamstring injury, Bojan was back in good form on Saturday. Just six minutes into the game, the forward took a right-footed shot from roughly 30 yards that found its way past goalkeeper John McCarthy for Bojan's third goal of the season.

The Impact dominated the first 30 minutes but a mistake from James Pantemis led to Inter Miami's equalizer. Brek Shea's shot from just outside the box took a deflection that left Pantemis fooled, as the goalkeeper dove out of the ball's path.

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

The goal was Shea's fourth of the season, and his second in as many games.

Playing in just his second MLS game, Pantemis made up for his error with solid play the rest of the way. Pantemis made three saves and held steady during a second half that saw Inter Miami outshoot Montreal by a 11-7 margin.

Bojan and Urruti were two of five changes from Montreal's last starting lineup, a 3-2 defeat to the New England Revolution last Wednesday. The Impact are still missing several regulars to injury and international duty.