MONTREAL -- It might be a new season, but the Montreal Impact are still using an Ignacio Piatti-led counterattack to find success in MLS.
While Impact head coach Mauro Biello previously spoke of wanting to diversify the team's playing style this season, the tried-and-true counterattack that has been so successful since Piatti's arrival paid dividends again.
Piatti set up a goal by Matteo Mancosu and then scored his first of the season to give Montreal a two-goal lead Saturday.
"He's more like the pilot when it comes to the attack so you always want to give him the ball," Montreal forward Dominic Oduro said after the game. "We always want him to have the ball because we know he's able to drive the ball to the right places."
The Impact ultimately settled for a 2-2 tie against the reigning MLS Cup champion Seattle Sounders at Olympic Stadium.
"We played a team that's good on the ball," Montreal captain Patrice Bernier said. "I can't say it plays into our hands but they move a lot of pieces forward and you saw the second goal, we recovered and Nacho did his thing. That's a good sign that we were able to do the good things that we're known for."
Sounders midfielder Harry Shipp played for Montreal last season and tried to prepare his new teammates for the Impact's counterattack.
"I tried to stress it all week that that's how they're going to attack," Shipp said. "They don't shy away from that, you know, that's how they're going to score goals, and you saw it. The first goal, we got caught high and then behind."
"And the second goal, we had a turnover that they sprung well and Nacho did what he does, I saw him do every day in practice. So they're talented on that. They know their identity and they play well when teams do turn the ball over."
Seattle coach Brian Schmetzer summed up the components of Montreal's counterattack, which took advantage of a turnover by Nicolas Lodeiro on Piatti's goal.
"Mancosu and Oduro, frightening people as well, and then you add a third guy with a lot of ability and talent," Schmetzer said. "I mean, that's what their team was set up to do after they got up 1-0 and they played that perfectly."
Flanked by Mancosu on his left, Piatti ran the ball half the length of the field and cut to the middle before blasting a drive past Stefan Frei from just outside the box just after halftime.
"Well it was classic counterattack" Schmetzer said. "I mean, we lost possession, we were stretched, he's got options on either side of him and he elects to keep the ball himself and score. That's just a good decision, a good soccer play by a smart soccer player."
