After a rumor-filled offseason and a length stint apart from his club due to a knee problem's poor response to artificial turf, Didier Drogba made his 2016 MLS debut in the Montreal Impact's 2-0 loss to FC Dallas on Saturday.
After joining his teammates from a training stint with Sacramento Republic FC, the Ivorian superstar did not start at Toyota Stadium. But he logged 20 minutes and change off the bench as a 70th-minute replacement for Lucas Ontivero. Here's a look at how his cameo played out:
Pushing Dominic Oduro out to a right wing role, Drogba takes up his usual role as the No. 9 atop Montreal's 4-2-3-1 formation and is greeted by a mix of cheers and boos from the FCD crowd. The score is 0-0 and the play has flowed in both directions.
With his first touch of the game, Drogba thumps a downward header inches wide left of goal off a right-wing cross from Oduro in the 71st minute, but is judged to have pushed Matt Hedges as he elevated, and referee Armando Villarreal whistles for a foul.
72nd minute
: Hedges and center-back partner
Walker Zimmerman
are clearly alert to the new weapon in their midst. Their midfield helps them out by cutting off the Impact's line of service for long stretches – and it enables FCD to take the lead, as
Mauro Diaz
lashes a vicious free kick past
Evan Bush
for the eventual game-winner.
Lurking at the far post a few minutes later, Drogba latches onto an angled delivery from deep by Calum Mallace and flashed a dangerous header across the face of goal, as Oduro arrived a second or two too late to direct it on Jesse Gonzalez's goal.
86th: Drogba leaps for a high, booming clearance from Montreal center back Laurent Ciman as it drops from the sky near midfield, but is outjumped by Hedges and Dallas recover the loose ball.
But Drogba sparks an Impact attack seconds later as he drops into midfield and sniffs out a high ball from teammate Donny Toia and chests it down for Ignacio Piatti, who moves Montreal into the final third. There, Johan Venegas sets off on an aggressive run and goes to ground in search of a foul call at the edge of the FCD box, though Villarreal is having none of it.
Gonzalez hammers a long punt that Tesho Akindele flicks on into the path of Maxi Urruti, who seals the victory with a wickedly dipping half-volley from long range: 2-0 Dallas. It's worth noting that IMFC pulled off Harry Shipp a few minutes after Drogba's entry, and moved Piatti wide left.
Drogba threatens again in the 89th with his instinctive nous for combination play. He contorts himself to reach Piatti's cross from the right flank and chests it into fellow substitute Anthony Jackson-Hamel's path right at the top of the penalty box. With Gonzalez at his mercy, the IMFC Homegrown strikes his shot cleanly, but right at the young 'keeper's palms, and Gonzalez leaps on the rebound to preserve his clean sheet.
As Montreal play out of the back down their left flank in the 92nd minute, Drogba drifts out into the right channel and receives a short pass from Venegas, then tries to pick out Jackson-Hamel with a lofted ball towards the far post, but FCD clear the attempt.
Noting Montreal's aggressive approach to the game's latter stages, commentator Daniel Robertson on FCD's broadcast team suggests that the visitors' attacking mindset may have left them open to the Texans' incisive transition play.
94th: Whether by accident or design, Drogba switches spaces with Jackson-Hamel as he drifts left with Piatti on the ball and hunting for options in traffic near the center circle. It doesn't come off, as his Argentine teammate was looking for him more centrally and Jackson-Hamel seems confused, chasing Piatti's long ball in vain.
95th: Drogba fades deep into midfield again and picks up a loose ball with several teammates ahead of him. He clips a promising weighted ball over the top, but it outruns Venegas. Gonzalez gloves it and waits for the final whistle.
Drogba's final OPTA numbers in 25 minutes: only two passes completed out of six attempted, but one a key pass that set up a good scoring chance for Jackson-Hamel; one successful aerial challenge out of two; one shot (off target); one foul committed.
FC Dallas deserve credit for handling the Drogba threat well, and future Impact opponents will note the value of cutting off midfield service in his direction. But the big man showed no hesitation to roam freely in search of space and once he reports to Montreal's training sessions full-time – expected when the Quebec weather warms enough to move from Stade Olympique to Stade Saputo next month – chemistry with his attacking mates should develop quickly.
