By Canadian Press

Lassi Lappalainen scores twice in MLS debut, Impact beat Union 4-0

Jul 27, 2019 | 8:19 PM

MONTREAL — Lassi Lappalainen, in his Major League Soccer debut, and Orji Okwonkwo each scored twice to give the Montreal Impact a commanding 4-0 victory over the first-place Philadelphia Union on Saturday night.

Evan Bush made three saves for his seventh clean sheet of the season as the Impact (10-11-3) snapped a four-game losing skid in league play with their biggest win of the season.

The Union (11-7-6) lost for the second time in three matches.

The Impact were winless since June 26 and had only scored four goals on their four-game slide. But they managed to put four past Andre Blake in captain Ignacio Piatti’s first MLS game since May 24.

It didn’t take long for Finnish winger Lappalainen — on loan from Bologna — to bring the 16,344 fans at Saputo Stadium to their feet.

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Just four minutes into his first MLS game, the speedy Lappalainen made a run into the box behind a Philly defender and snagged a perfectly weighted through ball from Zachary Brault-Guillard. Lappalainen’s first touch evaded the diving Blake, and his second touch was an easy tap-in into the back of the net.

The entire Impact team swarmed the Finnish international at the corner flag to celebrate.

The Union pressed hard for the equalizer, looking to take advantage of Montreal’s absent defenders Bacary Sagna (one-game suspension) and Victor Cabrera (arm injury).

Bush came up big in the 34th minute when he stopped Alejandro Bedoya’s header off a corner kick. The Impact goalkeeper stood tall again on the very next play, denying Polish striker Kacper Przybylko from 12 yards out.

Those saves were crucial because Montreal doubled its lead, against the run of play, in the 37th minute. Piatti fed Okwonkwo with a through ball at the edge of the box and the Nigerian fired off the post and in for his fifth of the season.

The home side was not done there.

Just 16 seconds into the second half, Lappalainen netted his second of the match to give Montreal a 3-0 lead. The 20-year-old blew past the Philly defence, walked into the box and placed a shot into the bottom far corner of the net.

With the Union playing a high line, a back kick by Maximiliano Urruti in the 66th minute sent Okwonkwo in all alone on goal with no Philadelphia defender nearby. The winger made it 4-0 with a low shot from near the penalty spot.

The last time Montreal scored four times was in a 4-1 win against the Union on Sept. 15, 2018.

Notes: Lappalainen left the game in the 82nd minute to a standing ovation. … Montreal is 7-2-1 all-time against the Union at home.

Kelsey Patterson, The Canadian Press