The big-talker result of the night from MLS was in Montreal as the league resumed play after a short international break.
Montreal jumped on Seattle early and then built to an eventual 4-1 win. But the Impact men had to share the stage with new ground, Stade Saputo, which debuted last night after its expansion and renovation.
MLS commissioner Don Garber was there to help ooh and ah over the pretty facility. Here’s what he saw, and what you’ll see on the highlights below:
- Montreal midfielder Felipe Martins continues to demonstrate that he’s a quality MLS midfielder, doing so with a neat, curling ball that turned into the historic first at refurbished Stade Saputo. Good for Martins.
- Justin Mapp scores a fantastic goal, which is vintage Mapp – and “vintage” in the fact that it reminds us, again, that he can be a devastating presence at times, but one who shrinks too often into the ordinary.
- It seems that some referees are getting the message; Mark Geiger showed a straight red to Seattle center back Jhon Kennedy Hurtado, who went in dangerously and recklessly on Collen Warner. That’s probably a yellow card in previous MLS seasons, but the MLS initiative to remove (by use of retroactive punishment) actions just like that one may be sinking in now to referees – even if it’s not yet sinking into the players.
- Rookie Andrew Wenger, the No. 1 draft pick this year, struck again. It was good-enough shot and certainly a pretty feed from Patrice Bernier. But Seattle ‘keeper Bryan Meredith showed his inexperience, guessing on the shot instead of holding his ground a second longer. It was not a good goal to concede.
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- dhagentj - Jun 17, 2012 at 1:10 PM
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I didn’t feel like Hurtado’s challenge was bad enough to earn a red, but that was certainly debatable. What WASN’T debatable was the two-footed tackle on Montero about ten minutes later that had me seeing Mullen burgundy. How that didn’t earn a red as well is beyond me.
Seattle certainly didn’t earn a win, but Montero could have had both ankles busted on that play.
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- Steve Davis - Jun 17, 2012 at 1:24 PM
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uh-oh. That’s what happens when you fast-FWD through a game rather than watch the entire thing. I felt the match was decided, so didn’t pay enough attention once Seattle went down to 10. Let me go back and check that out; thanks for the heads up.
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- thekingofnorway - Jun 18, 2012 at 4:38 PM
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So, 24 hours, what did you decide, Steve? I too thought Rivas’ late-game challenge on Montero was far more red-worthy, and expect the Disciplinary Committee will see it likewise.
The Sounders did not play well and deserved to lose, but I think Sigi had a legitimate gripe about the officiating here. Geiger had a howler of a game, IMO.
