The New York Red Bulls have pulled three points clear at the top of the Eastern Conference by claiming a 2-1 win over 10-man Montreal Impact.
It was a result which puts the Red Bulls on the brink of clinching the top seed and the home advantage ahead of the MLS playoffs with three games to play, and it took them less than 15 minutes to claim the vital upper hand against the Impact, who remain four points behind Toronto in sixth.
Sacha Kljestan was a tricky customer for Montreal throughout the evening and he made an impact early in the game with a clever run which ended with him pulling the ball back to Lloyd Sam, whose effort was kept out by Ambroise Oyongo on the line.
A red card for the Montreal defender followed and Kljestan capitalised to fire the hosts into an early lead with a calm penalty.
Montreal struggled to relieve the pressure in a first half dominated by the hosts and a second penalty arrived when Marco Donadel brought down Sam in the box.
Kljestan stepped up from 12 yards for the second time, but Evan Bush guessed correctly to keep out his effort.
However, the Red Bulls would double their lead before the half-time interval when Bush's decision to rush off his line to confront Bradley Wright-Phillips ended with the ball dropping to Sam, who lobbed the stranded goalkeeper from the edge of the box.
New York could have wrapped up the game in the early stages in the second half, but good chances were wasted as Ronald Zubar headed wide shortly before Wright-Phillips fired over from a promising position.
Montreal were handed a lifeline when Didier Drogba's dangerous cross looked set to be tapped in by Donny Toia, who went down under a desperate challenge from Sam.
Drogba took on the responsibility from the spot and picked out the bottom corner to continue his fine form as the Impact threatened to claim an unlikely point.
A possible comeback was dashed as the Red Bulls finished the game comfortably and twice came close to wrapping up the match when Wright-Phillips rattled the post on two occasions.
Callum Mulvihill
