Montreal’s Fastest Double-Figure Marksmen

When Romell Quioto scored his first-ever play-off goal for Montreal last November he became the second fastest in the club’s MLS-era to reach the landmark.

The Honduran took 275 days (inflated due to inactivity caused by the pandemic), but only 24 appearances (22 starts) to reach double figures. It’s still well short of the ultimate record set by one Didier Drogba. The Ivorian scored his tenth goal for the club in only his 11th appearance (9 starts).

Thirteen men have reached double figures, the first being Patrice Bernier who reached the landmark with a first-half penalty in a 2-1 MLS victory over Toronto FC at The Big O on St-Patrick’s Day Eve, 2013.

Photo by Richard Wolowicz/Getty Images

Marco Di Vaio who scored the winner that day, perhaps surprisingly is only sixth fastest to reach double figures, but remains one of only two players ever to reach 40 goals for the club and the second-fastest to 20 (43 appearances).

Romell Quioto however could well replace the Italian as next fastest to 20 behind Drogba. The Honduran currently has 11 goals in 26 apps.

Drogba slowed up a little with his next ten goals, taking 28 appearances to reach 20, but his phenomenal sprints to each target look set to remain club records for some considerable time yet.

It may surprise a few that Jack McInerney is third-fastest to reach double-figures. The Chattanooga-born striker took 26 games to reach the tally, and it could have been much quicker. He was stuck on 9 for 12 matches before claiming his tenth goal, opening the scoring in the 81st minute of a home victory over San Jose Earthquakes in September 2014.

Nacho Piatti was fourth fastest to 10, but third quickest to reach 20 (51 apps), while he and Marco Di Vaio had uncannily similar records when aiming to be fastest to 30 and 40 goals.
They both reached 30 in 70 appearances (Nacho 68 starts, Marco 61) and each hit the 40-mark in 88 appearances (Nacho 85 starts, Marco 73)

The ten goal list reads like a league of nations with two players each from Argentina, Italy and Quebec, one each from Brazil, USA, Honduras and four Africans; representing Ghana, Ivory Coast, Algeria and Nigeria.

Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images

In terms of time, Anthony Jackson-Hamel took longest to reach the landmark, 1113 days, but he also managed it with the least number of starts, 8, even lower than Drogba!

Of all the players to reach double figures with Montreal, Felipe took most games to do so, 65.

Lassi Lappalainen is clear favourite to be the next player to join the Double-Figure Club. The Finn currently sits on 9 and it’s taken him 29 appearances (18 starts) to get there.



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