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Oduro's goal gives Impact 1-1 draw with NYCFC

Oduro's goal gives Impact 1-1 draw with NYCFC

NEW YORK — The Montreal Impact were happy to leave New York City with a point.

Dominic Oduro's goal midway through the second half lifted the Impact to a 1-1 draw with New York City FC on Saturday.

Oduro slid behind the defence and had a soft touch as he chested down a long ball from Patrice Bernier. He turned and beat NYCFC keeper Sean Johnson to the ball and chipped it into the net for his first goal of the season in the 68th minute.

"It's always good to take a point from the home team," Oduro said. "We defended really well, but we didn't sit back too much. We stepped up and were able to do what we wanted to do. We'd have loved to win, but right now, everyone's excited with the result that we got here against a very good team."

Oduro had four of the five shots the Impact (0-1-2) put on Johnson.

Rodney Wallace scored his second goal of the season late in the first half put NYCFC (1-1-1) on top. He pounced on a rebound after Montreal keeper Evan Bush made a save on Alexander Ring. Wallace got his left foot on the ball and slid it just inside the left post past the sliding Bush.

The Impact had created a first chance in transition in the fifth minute. From a central position, Matteo Mancosu played the ball left to Ignacio Piatti, who was marked tightly. Piatti was unable to move further forward and unleashed a shot that narrowly missed at the near post.

Piatti was again at the heart of a dangerous Montreal play just before the half-hour mark. He intercepted an Andrea Pirlo pass and swiftly played the ball into the box, where two touches from Oduro and Mancosu kept it alive for the Impact. Piatti and Oduro then took turns to attempt shots that didn't trouble Johnson.

Piatti had another chance after Wallace's goal, curling a shot that crashed onto the post before Oduro, on the rebound, forced Johnson into a save.

"We were losing 1-0, but we showed character," said Bernier. "We kept working hard. We knew we'd create chances, and we managed to get this draw against a team that tends to score many goals at home."

The teams combined for 31 shots but put only nine on goal. NYCFC had more opportunities among its 18 shots but only had one shot on target in the second half after forcing Bush to make three saves in the first.

— With files from The Canadian Press

The Associated Press