Impact win, but eliminated from CONCACAF Champions League competition

MONTREAL – The Montreal Impact were eliminated from CONCACAF Champions League competition despite a 2-0 win over CD Heredia on Tuesday night.

Montreal, which won the Amway Canadian Championship, needed to score early and often to keep their slim hopes of advancing past the group stage alive.

The Impact managed the first part when Daniele Paponi scored just four minutes in to the delight of the enthusiastic Saputo Stadium crowd.

Andrew Wenger made it 2-0 in the 54th minute but Montreal needed to win by at least six goals to avoid being knocked out of their second Champions League competition, and their first since 2008.

CD Heredia would have clinched the three-team Group 5 with a draw or a win after 1-0 victories in both of their home games against Montreal and the San Jose Earthquakes.

The Guatemalan side can still move through to the championship round with a point in the final group stage game next month in San Jose.

An Earthquakes win on Oct. 23 would bring about a three-way tie and San Jose, which beat Montreal 3-0 last Tuesday, would advance by virtue of the best goal-differential.

Defender Hassoun Camara and midfielder Felipe were the only two regulars in Montreal’s starting 11, which included three Quebecers on the back line _ defenders Karl Ouimette, Maxim Tissot and Wandrille Lefevre.

Marco Di Vaio entered in the 57th minute and quickly made his presence felt. The 37-year-old Italian striker dove to head Wenger’s centring pass, forcing goalkeeper Jose Calderon to dive to his right to deny Di Vaio’s sparkling attempt.

Impact forward Justin Mapp replaced Andrea Pisanu 66 minutes in.

Both Di Vaio and Mapp put drives off the post as the Impact pressed for more offence without success.

Paponi was shown a yellow card 78 minutes in by Jamaican referee Courtney Campbell, who judged that the Montreal forward dove when he was met with a challenge from behind as he approached the 18-yard box.

The crowd’s enthusiasm had long soured by that point after starting off the game with a bang.

A small fireworks rocket came shooting out of the Ultras section behind CD Heredia’s goal and exploded over the field less than two minutes in.

Smoke from the stands was swirling around the goalmouth when Paponi scored four minutes in, putting away a rebound of Felipe’s shot.

CD Heredia came close to evening the scored in the 26th minute but Charles Cordoba’s shot while prone in a goalmouth scramble went off Impact defender Karl Ouimette’s face and stayed out.

Paponi had an opportunity in stoppage time at the end of the first half but Calderon came out to challenge and clear the ball from harm.

Wenger added Montreal’s second goal when he was sent in alone on a through ball from Tissot.

The Impact, who have lost their last two Major League Soccer games, play in Chicago on Saturday.