Red Bulls continue Eastern Conference dominance with win over Montreal

The New York Red Bulls moved to first overall in the race for the MLS Supporters' Shield after brushing aside the Montreal Impact with a 2-1 win at Red Bull Arena.

Montreal, needing a pair of wins this week to clinch its own playoff berth, had those ambitions dashed, beginning with the team conceding the first goal in unorthodox fashion.

Defender Ambroise Oyongo cleared a ball off the line with his hand and tried to sell it as a header to the referee. The ref didn't buy it and gave Oyongo a straight red card while pointing to the spot. Sacha Kljestan stood up and scored the resulting penalty to make it 1-0.

Related - VIDEO: Montreal defender shown straight red card for handball save on goal line

10-man Montreal then conceded a second penalty just minutes later when Donny Toia tripped Lloyd Sam in the box. But Didier Drogba made himself a distraction by getting into a quick confrontation with Kljestan, who then missed the shot.

Drogba walked away nodding coolly, a wry smile painted on his face, knowing he'd gotten in Kljestan's head and helped save the Impact for the moment.

The Red Bulls would not be denied their second goal, though; Sam doubled New York's lead in the 40th minute after a Bradley Wright-Phillips shot landed fortuitously in his path. Sam ran onto the ball and lobbed a floating shot into a wide-open net to give New York a 2-0 lead at half-time.

In the second half, Drogba scored his eighth goal in as many games, notching home from the penalty spot in the 67th minute.

But it would not be enough for the Impact, as the Red Bulls held on for the 2-1 win.