Orlando City rallies for late draw with Montreal Impact

Montreal Impact's Blerim Dzemaili, left, screams in celebration with teammates including Ignacio Piatti (10) after Dzemaili scored a goal against Orlando City. (Stephen M. Dowell/Orlando Sentinel via AP)

ORLANDO, Fla. — Jonathan Spector scored his first MLS goal and Orlando City rallied for a 3-3 draw with the Montreal Impact on Saturday night.

Ignacio Piatti struck twice for the Impact (4-4-6), who are unbeaten in their last five matches with three wins and two draws.

"We will take the point tonight, come back home, and work hard in preparation of Wednesday’s final against Toronto and then the Columbus game on Saturday," said Piatti.

"I’m happy to help the team by scoring goals, but we return to Montreal a bit disappointed without the three points."

Orlando City (7-5-4) was without star forward Cyle Larin of Brampton, Ont. He was arrested Thursday on suspicion of driving under the influence. The Lions have just one win in their last nine matches after winning six of seven to open the season.

Spector, off a corner kick Matias Perez Garcia, flicked a header from the top of the 6-yard box into the top-left corner of the net in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

Moments after Garcia gave Orlando City a 1-0 lead, Blerim Dzemaili tied it but Carlos Rivas put home the rebound of a shot by Will Johnson to put Orlando City back in front in the 23rd.

Piatti trapped a pass from Dzemaili near the top of the box, side-stepped a defender and rolled it under Joe Bendik into the net to tie it in the 58th, and then put the rebound of his own miss into an open net about a minute later.

"It was a wild game tonight but every week we have to deal with special situations and we have to get used to them," said Impact head coach Mauro Biello.

"We did not play particularly well in the first half, but we made a few adjustments in the second half and put more pressure on their two centre backs to score two goals. It’s unfortunate not getting the three points, but we got an important point on the road tonight in tough conditions."

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