Montreal Impact tie 2-2 against the New York Red Bulls

Amid an offensive festival, it was a disappointing defensive performance, from the Montreal Impact, that saw three points slip away. The good news is that the home team was excellent offensively. The bad news was that it conceded two goals against an organised but depleted Red Bulls team.

It was the Impact that scored first, doing so for the first time in 2014. Andres Romero gave Montreal the lead as he beat Luis Robles with a cheeky well placed shot. Off the counter attack, Felipe Martins finds Romero who made a run behind the Red Bulls defenders, who were without Jamison Olave.

Romero scored at the 5th minute, a trademark of the success the club had during its good period in 2013: Scoring early.

As the Impact pushed for that ever so crucial second goal, the home team was faced with an excellent Robles ( 9 saves) and a lack of finishing.

The Red Bulls were also looking for quick breaks to catch Montreal off guard and they did so. Two back-to-back goals, from Jonny Steele and Peguy Luyindula, gave the visitors the lead by the 34th minute. Luyindula almost gave his club a 3-1 lead before the halftime whistle.

The defensive woes of the impact came back to haunt as Matteo Ferrari was called for a foul in the box, early in the second half. Luyindula steps up to take the penalty kick but misses the net as his effort touches the cross bar.

With Marco Di Vaio firing on all cylinders, even without Patrice Bernier on the starting lineup, the Impact's transition game was excellent.

As both Romero and Felipe were much more efficient, Justin Mapp continued to be the catalyst on the right side. His precise cross , at the 60th minute, finds Felipe. The Brazilian heads the ball into the corner, away from Robles.

Both clubs had chances to either kill off the game or take a good lead but were not efficient. The good news for the Impact is that even if Marco Di Vaio did not score a goal tonight, he is in great form and will make most MLS teams suffer for 90 minutes.

The Impact host Frank Klopas' previous club, the Chicago Fire, at the Olympic Stadium next Saturday.

Lineups

MTL - GK-Troy Perkins; D-Heath Pearce, Hassoun Camara, Matteo Ferrari, Eric Miller; M-Hernan Bernardello (Patrice Bernier 72'), Collen Warner, Justin Mapp, Felipe (Santiago Gonzalez 90'), Andrés Romero (Blake Smith 85'); F-Marco Di Vaio

Subs not used: GK-Evan Bush; D-Jeb Brovsky, Karl W. Ouimette; M-Calum Mallace

NY- GK-Luis Robles; D-Kosuke Kimura, Ibrahim Sekagya, Armando (Matt Miazga 84'), Roy Miller (Dax McCarty 46'); M-Lloyd Sam, Eric Alexander, Peguy Luyindula (Connor Lade 90+5'), Bobby Convey; F-Bradley Wright-Phillips, Jonny Steele

Subs not used: GK-Ryan Meara; D-Chris Duvall; M-Michael Bustamante; F-Ruben Bover

Goals

MTL - Romero (Felipe) 5'
NY - Steele (Sam, Kimura) 31'
NY - Luyindula (Steele) 34'
MTL - Felipe (Mapp) 59'