Toronto FC bags crucial away goals in Montreal thriller
Toronto FC overcame a nightmare of a start Tuesday evening to grab two precious away goals in a 3-2 loss to the Montreal Impact, setting up a tense second leg in southern Ontario next week.
In a match that looked all but over midway through the second half, the Impact slowly saw their 3-0 lead evaporate.
Goals from Dominic Oduro, Matteo Mancosu, and Ambroise Oyongo established what seemed to be an insurmountable advantage, sending the 61,004 in attendance at Olympic Stadium into a mad frenzy.
But Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley responded in quick succession, the American striker powering a header in the 68th minute, and the TFC captain side-footing a precise shot into the bottom corner five minutes later.
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Though Greg Vanney's side lost the first leg, it's now well-positioned to do damage over the next 90 minutes on Nov. 30. A 1-0 or 2-1 score at BMO Field would be enough to reach the 2016 MLS Cup.
The craziness all began with a measurement error that forced groundskeepers to repaint the 18-yard box on each end of the field.
The match was delayed by 25 minutes as crews sprayed over the pre-existing white lines and laid down new ones.
Related - Watch: Penalty areas at Olympic Stadium repainted after measurement error
And the Impact appeared to benefit the most from the postponed kickoff, capitalizing on Toronto's shambolic defending.
Former TFC midfielder Oduro and Mancosu scored in the 10th and 12th minutes to stun the visitor. Both goals arrived by a defensive breakdown and a botched clearance.
Oyongo pounced on a similar gaffe later in the second stanza. The 25-year-old left-back, with yards of space ahead of him, went uncontested in midfield before rifling a low drive past a sprawling Clint Irwin.
Altidore and Bradley then teamed up to give TFC a chance at BMO Field next Wednesday.