THE CANADIAN PRESS
BURNABY, B.C. -- The Montreal Impact beat the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-2 on Saturday night and take the advantage in the two-game aggregate United Soccer Leagues First Division final Saturday.
On a back-and-forth night, an own goal off a Vancouver defender and strikes from Peter Byers and Eduardo Sebrango provided the offence for Montreal. Marcus Haber and Marlon James replied for the Whitecaps.
The second and decisive leg goes Oct. 17 at Montreal's Saputo Stadium.
Montreal head coach Marc Dos Santos said he's relieved to be heading home with the advantage.
"It's difficult, we question whether we're going to get out of here with a win. The character was excellent but I also have to praise the work ethic, and the never let die situation of Vancouver was excellent," said Dos Santos.
After a tentative opening 45 minutes, Montreal made the breakthrough right on the stroke of halftime. Stephen Deroux won a yard of space on Vancouver's Wes Knight and his cross from the left side found Roberto Brown. His header went off Whitecaps defender Shaun Pejic and past goalkeeper Jay Nolly.
Vancouver nearly equalized within three minutes of the restart. James found himself on the end of a cross from the left side but his header went over the bar.
The Impact gained a further advantage in the 51st minute when Whitecaps captain Martin Nash was shown a straight red card. Nash fell under a late tackle from Brown that went unpunished. Nash retaliated with a late tackle of his own and will miss the return leg.
Brown was stretchered off the field, but returned within seconds of getting to the sidelines.
Whitecaps head coach Teitur Thordarson wasn't impressed with the decision but was quick to note that Nash was suspended for the club's final game in the Nutrilite Canadian Championship, which Vancouver won 2-0 over Toronto FC.
"I'm disappointed in the officiating today," was Thordarson's brief response when asked his opinion.
"When Martin was out, the guys who stepped up then, they did it great. I just expect the young guys to fill in that place again."
The Whitecaps equalized in the 56th minute when Haber, the USL rookie of the year, capitalized on a turnover in midfield. After holding off two Montreal defenders, he struck a low shot from 18 yards out.
Byers restored Montreal's lead in the 63rd minute, beating the offside trap on a through ball to beat Nolly from a tight angle
Vancouver again clawed back just two minutes later. Knight fed an perfect cross from the right side and James emphatically headed the ball into the net.
But Montreal would not be denied on this night. Rocco Placentino's initial shot was stopped by Nolly but Sebrango was on hand to cash in the rebound just before the final whistle.
"I just anticipated and I was there for the rebound," said Sebrango, a Montreal substitute and former Whitecap.
"I wanted the goal against my former team. To get the opportunity to score like that, I couldn't ask for more. They're a good team. They were playing well with ten men."
