Montreal hammers D.C. United to reach East semifinals

The Montreal Impact defeated D.C. United 4-2 at RFK Stadium to move on from the Knockout Round into the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Ignacio Piatti, Matteo Mancosu, and Laurent Ciman found the back of the net, and despite Lamar Neagle and Taylor Kemp scoring late, the Impact held on to secure victory and set up a meeting with the New York Red Bulls.

Ciman got the party started early in the first half, scoring off a corner kick, though not with his head as he conventionally does; rather, the Belgian defender connected smartly with a controlled half-volley to open the scoring.

At the stroke of half-time, Piatti's inspired pass saw Mancosu double the Impact's lead, with the Argentine delivering a perfect low cross over for the Italian striker to tap home with ease.

Mancosu would add another in the second half, using his head to beat goalkeeper Bill Hamid on his near side. With the result assured, the Impact sat back and allowed D.C. United to press, before turning on the counter.

It paid off with less than 10 minutes remaining, with Piatti scoring Montreal's fourth goal of the night with little by way of D.C. resistance.

However, D.C. did not roll over right after, pushing with intent and finding a goal of its own courtesy of Neagle, whose header beat goalkeeper Evan Bush at the dying embers of the match.

D.C. United then added another courtesy of a long-range rocket from Taylor Kemp, which caught Bush by surprise to make the score 4-2. However, the goal came with just seconds remaining on the clock and any hope of a D.C. United comeback was exterminated moments later as the referee blew the final whistle.

Montreal now faces the Red Bulls on Sunday, Oct. 30 before playing the second leg on Nov. 6.