Ignacio Piatti Key to Montreal’s Success in Eastern Conference Final 2nd Leg

BMO Field will be littered with superstars on Wednesday night, as Toronto FC host Montreal Impact in the second leg of the MLS Eastern Conference Final. 

While the focus may immediately shift toward one of Toronto’s three high-profile designated players, the most important player on the pitch will be wearing an Impact kit. 

Argentinian midfielder Ignacio Piatti has been arguably the best player in the league this season—and one of the most underappreciated stars at the same time. 

The 31-year-old’s name may not stick out on paper right away like the other stars across the league, but he’s been more important to his squad than Toronto’s trio, David Villa at New York City FC, Bradley Wright-Phillips of the New York Red Bulls and any of the LA Galaxy’s big names.

What sets Piatti apart from everyone else on the pitch is his work rate off the ball. Toronto boss Greg Vanney noted that before the first leg, which Montreal won 3-2 at Olympic Stadium.

“In my opinion, one of his greatest strengths is what people sometimes don’t see what he does before he actually gets the ball,” Vanney said. “He’s a guy who’s clever in the moments when he’s helping his team defend and sees that the team is about to win the ball, and then he’s quickly transitioning in attacking action before anyone else on the field is transitioning.

“He’s fragments of time ahead of everyone else, and that’s where he gets his separation from defenders and then what we all see is his ability one-on-one and to score.” 

Piatti had some type of influence on all three of the goals the Impact scored in the opening leg of the series. 

He wasn’t directly involved in Dominic Oduro’s opener, but his presence in midfield attracted two Toronto players near him. With Michael Bradley shading in the direction of Piatti, Patrice Bernier moved into space just past the halfway line to retrieve the ball to pick out Oduro. 

In the buildup to the second Impact goal in the 12th minute, Piatti picked out a gap in the Toronto defense on the left wing with a run that caught Steven Beitashour off guard. Before the ball was even directed toward Piatti, he was making a measured run that kept him on onside. What followed was a first-touch pass into the center of the box that Matteo Mancosu finished. 

Although it may not …

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