By Canadian Press

Impact down Real Salt Lake 2-1; Montreal’s first win in four games

May 29, 2019 | 7:09 PM

MONTREAL — Omar Browne and Saphir Taider, from the penalty spot, scored to give the Montreal Impact a 2-1 victory over Real Salt Lake on Wednesday night.

Evan Bush made three saves for the Impact (7-6-3) for their first win in four games.

Sam Johnson scored a consolation goal in the dying minutes for Real Salt Lake (6-7-1), who snapped their three-game winning streak. Nick Rimando made two saves.

Ignacio Piatti was not in the lineup for Montreal. The Argentine recently re-aggravated the knee injury that kept him out of action for two months.

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Browne took charge of the offence in Piatti’s absence. The Panamanian attacking midfielder scored a rare first-half goal for the Impact, who had not found the back of the net before halftime in 12 straight games.

With the seconds ticking away in first-half stoppage time, the Impact were determined to manufacture one final attack.

Great build-up play in midfield opened up space for Bacary Sagna on the right flank. The former Arsenal man sent a through ball down the wing to Shamit Shome, who squared his pass to Browne in the box.

Surrounded by RSL defenders, Browne calmly slotted the ball to the back post for his second of the year and Montreal’s first goal at Saputo Stadium in 232 minutes. It was the last kick of the first half.

It looked like Johnson had equalized for the visitors in the 49th minute but his diving header was called back for offside.

Taider made it 2-0 from the penalty spot in the 68th minute after former Impact defender Donny Toia knocked Sagna down in the 18-yard-box. Taider fired right to beat Rimando for his team-leading fifth goal of the season and second penalty goal in as many games.

Johnson got one back for RSL in the 84th minute when he buried his fifth of the season past Bush from close range after Damir Kreilach’s header in the box evaded two Impact defenders.

Sebastian Saucedo came inches away from making it 2-2 in stoppage time but his free kick curled just wide of Bush’s net.

The Impact improved to 2-3-0 against Western-Conference opponents this year.

Remi Garde’s men were on the front foot from the starting whistle and all the action took place in Real Salt Lake’s penalty box to begin the game.

Striker Maximiliano Urruti hit the crossbar in the second minute of play. Seconds later, Rudy Camacho’s header off a free kick forced Rimando to make a reaction save. In the fifth minute, Taider’s left-footed attempt was blocked at the side of the net.

Notes: Real Salt Lake remains winless all-time in Montreal (0-4-0). … David Choiniere left the game with an apparent head injury in the second half after colliding with Salt Lake’s Justen Glad.

Kelsey Patterson, The Canadian Press