COMMERCE CITY, Colo. — Didier Drogba’s scored on a 30-yard free kick, Evan Bush made a late diving save and the Montreal Impact beat the Colorado Rapids 1-0 on Saturday.
Drogba bent it around the wall and inside the right post for his team-leading ninth goal in nine appearances this season. It came immediately after the Impact’s Andres Romero left the game on a stretcher because of an apparent right knee injury.
"We grinded this one out. It was not pretty and it was not our best performance, but it’s three points on the road," said Impact head coach Mauro Biello.
"I can only applaud my team because it was a third game this week and we traveled a lot. Fatigue and altitudes were factors in this game. It’s quite remarkable that we held on."
The Impact (13-13-6, 45 points) ended a two-game losing streak and increased their lead to four points over seventh-place Orlando City for the final Eastern Conference playoff position. Both teams have two games left.
"It’s very difficult to play here," said Drogba. "It’s tough, but we dealt quite well with the altitude. We all worked hard to secure the result."
Lucas Pittinari put a low hard shot on frame for the Colorado Rapids (8-14-10, 34 points) in the third minute of second-half stoppage time. Bush made the diving save to his right.
