The Montreal Impact are in uncharted territory. The New York Red Bulls are feeling that familiar playoff heartbreak.
In the second leg of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Sunday at Red Bull Arena, the Impact surged to a 2-1 victory behind two goals from Ignacio Piatti, sending them to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in club history.
The Red Bulls, who last made the MLS Cup in 2008, will see another Audi MLS Cup Playoff run end early after finishing atop the Eastern Conference for a second straight regular season.
Montreal, who led 1-0 coming in thanks to a Matteo Mancuso goal in the opening leg at Stade Saputo, scored the first goal of the game — and the first away goal of the series — on an Piatti blast in the 51st minute.
Needing three goals at that point to advance due to the away-goal tiebreaker, the Red Bulls pulled one back on a deflected goal from Golden Boot winner Bradley Wright-Phillips in the 78th minute.
But the Impact sealed things up in the 85th minute when Piatti completed his brace on a pass from Didier Drogba, who was making his first appearance since Sept. 28
The Red Bulls, who were unbeaten in 16 games heading into the playoffs, had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the 20th minute after Gonzalo Veron picked the pocket of Victor Cabrera and was taken down by Impact goalkeeper Evan Bush in the box for a penalty. But Bush got his revenge by saving Sacha Kljestan’s PK attempt and preventing RBNY from grabbing the momentum.
