Wright’s Play Helps to Right Salsa : Soccer: He scores a goal and helps to set up the other in a 2-0 victory over visiting Montreal.
After losing four consecutive games, the Salsa returned home Friday night to post a 2-0 victory over Montreal, and everything was all Wright.
Paul Wright scored in the game’s 16th minute, then drew a foul in the penalty area four minutes later to set up a penalty kick goal by Paulinho to lead the Salsa to an American Professional Soccer League victory over the Impact before 7,202 at Titan Stadium.
The victory was the first for the Salsa since a 1-0 victory over the Impact at Montreal Aug. 6. The Salsa moved into second place behind Vancouver.
Montreal did a good job of stifling the Salsa’s offense, except on three occasions in the first half.
Wright’s goal came on a great individual effort as he took a pass from Mike Fox above the penalty area, stutter-stepped to the right past defender Patrick Diotte, then fired a shot into the left corner of the net off the fingertips of goalie Pat Harrington. It was Wright’s 11th goal.
“That’s what makes our team dangerous,” said Fox, the Salsa captain. “Anytime Paul gets a one-on-one or one-on-two he can take advantage of it and put it away.”
In the 20th minute, Wright dribbled past a double-team at the top of the penalty area before he drew a foul when Jason Devos tripped him.
Paulinho took the penalty kick and scored his 14th goal by drilling it past Harrington into the right corner of the net, then celebrated by pumping his fists as he ran toward the sidelines.
In the 30th minute, Wright dribbled up the right side and crossed the ball to a wide-open Dale Ervine 12 yards in front of the net, but Ervine misfired on the shot.
With the two-goal lead, Fox said they wanted to make sure to protect it.
“During the losing streak, we were giving up some easy goals,” Fox said. “We just needed to be more disciplined defensively.”
But one minute into the second half, Salsa defender Jose Vasquez drew his first yellow card then nine minutes later, his second yellow card and an automatic ejection. It left the Salsa one player short for the final 35 minutes.
But Salsa goalie Bob Ammann of Orange, in only his third start of the season, weathered Montreal’s attack.
The Impact had seven second-half shots, but Ammann made five saves, including three diving stops, to preserve the shutout.
Salsa Notes
Injury update: Goalie Ian Feuer is expected to miss three weeks after undergoing surgery for a torn cartilage in his right knee. Goalie Mike Littman will miss two weeks with a severely sprained ankle, and Salvador Coreas will miss another week after suffering a torn tendon in his right leg. . . . Richard Ryerson missed Friday’s game after receiving his sixth yellow card Monday against Toronto. League rules state players will sit out one game for every yellow card accumulated over five. . . . Paulinho leads the league in scoring with 14 goals and four assists and Paul Wright is second with 11 goals and seven assists.
