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Impact 1, Revolution 0 - New England Still Unable to Clinch Playoff Berth

Ignacio Piatti's brilliant run and finish was enough to clinch a playoff berth for Montreal, and leave the Revolution still on the cusp of November heading into the final week.

By Jake Catanese
Mark L. Baer-USA TODAY Sports

A month ago the New England Revolution were coming off wins against Toronto FC and the New York Red Bulls with a stranglehold on second place in the East.

Today they sit in sixth place after a 1-0 loss to the Montreal Impact in front of over 42,000 at Gillette Stadium. The record regular season crowd saw the Revs extend their winless streak to four and the team still needing just a single point to clinch the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

The first half started fairly well for the Revolution, as they came out with high pressure against the Impact who struggled to get chances on goal. The best chance for either side in the first half came from New England, with Juan Agudelo beating his mark on the near sideline and turning for goal. He found Lee Nguyen with a centering pass inside the Montreal box but his shot was squared right to Evan Bush in goal.

But the solid if unspectacular first half gave away to the disjointed current form of the Revs as they struggled to not only get forward, but to even get the ball away from the Impact. Early in the second half, Ignacio Piatti fought with Agudelo to win an aerial ball and started upfield. A nifty move around Jermaine Jones gave Piatti enough space to get off a scooping shot towards the top corner which Bobby Shuttleworth was unable to keep out. The 55th minute goal would prove to be all the offense Montreal would need.

The Impact then shifted into a defensive shell and despite the Revolution dominating possession, they would generate only one good chance the rest of the way. Minutes after the opening goal, Nguyen stung a shot that forced Bush into his second and final save of the night, as the Revs would only generate a total of three shots in the second half. Montreal's stout defense and discipline prevented New England from anything more than a couple of half chances the rest of the way.

For the Impact, the win clinches a playoff berth and a deserved reward for a team that has been barnstorming up the standings since the summer with the addition of Didier Drogba up top. The Revolution now sit just three points above Orlando City, but have a massive, eight-goal advantage in goal-differential over the Lions.

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