When Eduardo Sebrango scored the second goal for the Montreal Impact in the first half of their CONCACAF Champions League second-leg match against Santos Laguna, it sure felt like a game-winner.
The 37th-minute tally made the score 2-1, and 4-1 overall lead that had Montreal fans thinking about the semifinals.
Then the second half happened.
Santos Laguna scored four unanswered goals, including two in stoppage time, cap a miraculous comeback and eliminate Montreal from the Champions League with a 5-2 victory and 5-4 series victory on Thursday night.
The Impact can look in the mirror for blame as its exciting attacking style went out the window in favor of an ultra-defensive approach that made Montreal's defense an easy target for Santos' sharp passing and decisive finishing.
Here are all seven goals (you might want to turn away if you are a Montreal fan):
The loss means that the Puerto Rico Islanders are all alone in the Champions League semifinals against three Mexican clubs, with Cruz Azul the first opponent for them in the semis (Santos Laguna will face Atlante).
As for Montreal, the Impact will look back on a golden opportunity wasted and a historic collapse that won't soon be forgotten.
What did you think of the match? Still in disbelief? Are you an MLS fan reveling in the Impact's misery? Did the Montreal coach cost his team the game?
Share your thoughts below.
I could care less about either team, and think that the comeback was amazing. However, am I the only one who sees that the player in the final goal was at least 3 feet offside when the ball was played? it seems more than a little suspect to me (unless there was a player not involved outside the screen).
I’m glad this happened, because I was getting quite sick of some of these Montreal fans getting on their not-so-high USL horses and saying “Who needs MLS. MLS Will collapse in 5 years anyway” blahblahblah.
Yeahhh, nice job. I guess the L’Impact remembered that they are a SECOND DIVISION SIDE. SECOND DIVISION ATHLETES, SECOND DIVISION COACH, FIRST-CLASS FAILURE.
The better team won last night. That’s tough for me to admit, because I am NO FAN of the Mexican League either. But the snarky attitude of some Montreal fans over the past couple of weeks has been unbearable.
They may be waiting a while before they’re back into this tournament again. They just choked away their best opportunity at glory.
“…the altitude really got Montreal at the end as did the lack of command that Jordan had over his box…”
Posted by: Kartik | March 06, 2009 at 09:50 AM
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The game was played in Torreon, not Mexico City. Altitude is not a problem as it lies lower than Mexico City.
funny thing is, that I was watching and for some reason nervously anticipating this kind of crazy ending. You could see that Montreal could no longer string together 2-3 passes and that it would only be brave defending and luck to see them through.
I watched the game and was pulling for Montreal. It’s quite too bad that the Montreal coach decided to go all defensive in the second half, as Montreal looked great in the first. Also, a bit of bad luck when Montreal didn’t get the penalty against Brown awarded in the second half (I thought the ref should have given it). But two goals in stoppage time??? Jesus, that was just a monumental collapse. Not quite as bad as the Bayern Munchen collapse against Manchester United in the 1999 Champions League Final, but monumental nonetheless.
Excellent game no matter who won. I was pulling for the Impact so that I could hold up my USL #1 sign at all MLS games this year.
Now I can’t.
But, did you see that comeback? Me and my wife both knew it was going to happen after Santos scored the 3rd goal. Excellent entertainment
The collapse sucks. Quite shocking. I’ve been reading about the match all morning. It’s a shame I didn’t get to see it. It sounds like an amazing, climatic match. I was rooting for Montreal and for the USL. I could never bring myself to root for a Mexican club. Now my focus will shift to Puerto Rico. I pray they can pull off the upset. I couldn’t be happier for the USL sides they certainly raised the bar and furthered expectations for both MLS and USL next year.
Just when I thought the break through for clubs from a US based league on Mexican soil was a done deal……………………….
The altitude really got Montreal at the end as did the lack of command that Jordan had over his box. He spilled too many balls and the Brown/Braz switch was a mistake because the Impact had no outlet man when they cleared the ball.
Unfortunate end to a great run but Santos was not playing well in the Mexican league and I think Atlante would have been a much taller order for the Impact anway. Montreal and Puerto Rico have set the bar higher for both MLS and USL teams to follow in this tournament.
I’m always cheering against mexican clubs so the Montreal loss was pretty painful to watch. Luckily I went to bed and only had to watch on youtube. I am definitely pulling for PR Islanders to win it all.
I’d consider this a bigger collapse than the 1999 Champions League final between Manchester United and Bayern Munich. At least Montreal had a 3 goal cushion. Bayern was only up 1 goal.
Wow shocking! I fell asleep when it was 2-2 (around 70 minute?)
I have to say Montreal did not look too bad up to that point; keeping some possession and getting some chances on the counter. But Santos has some firepower…maybe the competition, but that was the best attacking Mexican side I’ve seen…
Nobody has made any excuses, so I will 🙂 I’m sure their pre-season fitness had something to do with the collapse at the end. Never the less, a good run by the USL team…
still, damn good cup run. up until the final 25 minutes or so, this was a team that was maximizing every opportunity and minimizing mistakes. then they tried to play all Italian, and it went south. This one falls straight on lack of experience playing elimination games in hostile territory.
yes, there are away goals. however, away goals only come into play when the total goals scored in the series is equal. had that 93rd minute goal not been scored, and that game ended 4-2, with a 4-4 aggregate, Montreal would have won with the two away goals.
so the potential score breakdown for last night would have been:
any montreal win or a tie: Impact win
0-0 tie: impact win
1-0 Santos: Impact win
2-0 Santos: penalties
2-1 Santos: Impact win
3-1 Santos: Impact win
4-1 Santos: Santos win
4-2 Santos: Impact win
5-2 Santos: Santos win.
basically, going into the game, Santos had to win by AT LEAST three goals to win the series, no matter how many Montreal scored.
I went to bed after the first half. It actually seems like a wise course of action after hearing this.
ultimate fail!
Watched most of the 2nd half. Montreal just ran out of steam. Santos was pushing and Montreal’s heavy legs couldn’t keep up and they final cracked. If Montreal (or MLS) was in season, I would think the quarterfinal round would/could have looked completely different.
And I think PR Islanders got arguably the easiest opponent= NOT a Mexican club. Good luck in the Semis PRI, I’ll be rooting for ya.
Note to Montreal, mark up on the black guy.
How embarrassing for Montreal, to have the series in hand and let it slip away like that. I feel sorry for their fans.
chase- yea i thought i heard the dynamo coach on FSC talk about how they are finally incorporating away goals into the picture… or is that next year??
Great game. But got to admit FMF is class of concacaf club
As much as I’m not a fan of Mexican teams and definitely not Sanchez, this result is hilarious.
Question: Does the CONCACAF CL have an away goals rule in these two-leg match-ups?
Stunning game! Almost as good as the Houston-Pachuca series from few years ago that ended 5-4 for Pachuca on aggregate. I think Houston was leading heading into that game also. But congrats to Montreal for getting that far !
Unlike alot of the posters here I didnt put the match on until half time. Montreal looked like they were an over 40 league, while Santos were awesome. I was pulling for the Impact and on paper, what was the chance, even with their bad play, that they would give up 4 goals in a half. Monumental collapse, but from a mainly neutral standpoint, thrilling viewing.
Can someone please explain to me how Santos could have left that guy Quintero out of the starting lineup? He was amazing.
Montreal completely abandoned what they knew best: offense. It was a real shame and like Ives said, they have to only look in the mirror to blame. The poor keeper too… He wasn’t the best on the field, but when Santos has a chance to basically pick a corner to shoot at, he clearly had ZERO chance to make a difference.
Wow. I had turned the game off at halftime thinking Montreal had it in the bag. I come back from an night out at the bar and what? Every goal Santos scored in the second half was in the penalty area! Just horrible defending! The Impact have no one to blame but themselves. You would think two goals at home and two away goals would be more than enough to wrap it all up. Good grief. What a choke job.
Montreal is part of the US?
Learn something new every day…
I also turned it off after the 2-1, pissed me off when i saw the score at the end.
Not such a shock. As a Galaxy fan, I seem to remember a similar playoff collapse in the second leg a few years back….
Montreal looked like a house league team in the 2nd half…..embarrassing…. O WELL!!
I’m a toronto fan, but I was all for canada on this day. it was a great story with a tragic collapse, but let’s face it montreal greatly overachieved in that tie and should be proud of their effort.
…having said that, that was one of the most unbelievable matches i’ve ever watched. maybe the most unbelievable.
WHAT? I left after the 2-1 lead…thought it was over. Wow. That sucks and I’m not even a USL guy…
Stunning. Absolutely Stunning.
I was stunned by that game. Totally crazy. I guess the only team left for me to root for is Puerto Rico. Go Islanders!
Are you sure it isn’t Atlante/Santos and Cruz Azul/Islanders?
http://www.concacaf.com/competitions/champsleague/index.aspx
I gotta say, it feels good to not be the only team that got burned for sloppy defensive play away from home. I didn’t think any of montreal’s play (even when they won at home) looked too good. Puerto Rico, on the other hand, looked really good home and away. I’m cheering for the Islanders all the way, they play some good soccer.
YES YES YES YES
TAKE THAT SAPUTO
TAKE THAT LIMPACT
WE ARE TAKING YOU TO SCHOOL THIS YEAR
heartbreak city for montreal. they definitely looked rattled towards the end of the game and could not hold possession to save their lives. way too many giveaways in their own half. i can understand going into a defensive shell, but that was a bit ridiculous. very sad for montreal. mucha fiesta para santos. si se pudo
Really unfortunate in my mind. Montreal’s run was a great story and I would have loved to see them continue on. Still, it’s their own fault for their sloppy play in the second half.
unless that was a joke, which i sincerely hope.
crispy, this may come as a newsflash, but montreal isn’t in the us.
Im reallllllyyy pissed, wat da helll???? wowwwwww, i’d rather see US based teams in the tounament than any mexican team any day, and montreal just screwed it all up
But but….the USL can do no wrong, they are invincible!!1!
I’m sick to my stomach at the display Montreal showed in the 2nd half. 4 goals in the 2nd half, maybe they should have at least attempted some possesion in the 2nd half.
Montreal was a joke in the second half. Just shocking…
that match was CRAAAAAZY! or loco, i should say. They played their hearts out, that’s for sure. how would you like to go out for a few outside the stadium after THAT. Fiesta fiesta.
i find myself really pulling for the islanders. i have to admit, the usl’s success in the tournament has made me pay attention. i will for sure be attending many a Thunder match this summer to pay even more attention. kudos usl. although, i must admit to not being too fond of montreal.
That was just stupid. Montreal should be ashamed of themselves as far as I’m concerned. Sure its a tough environment and Santos is a good team, but 3 goals in the last 10 mins? They weren’t defending they were standing on their side of half for 45 mins waiting to see if Santos could score 4.
Spectators.
Oh I can’t wait for Montreal to come back to Toronto!! This is all just too great ahaha!! A choke and a half!!