MLS Re Cap: Drogba at the double, Villa wins it late for NYC

Didier Drogba took his tally to seven goals following
Saturday's brace, while David Villa netted a 95th-
minute penalty for New York City.

Montreal Impact had Didier Drogba to thank after the in-form
striker's two-goal haul inspired a 2-0 win over DC United in MLS
on Saturday.

Drogba bagged a brace in the opening 11 minutes at Stade
Saputo in Montreal as the Impact strengthened their grip on the
sixth and final play-off spot in the Eastern Conference.

The former Chelsea and Ivory Coast striker has now scored
seven goals in six appearances for the Impact, who are four
points clear of seventh-placed Orlando City with five regular-
season matches remaining.

DC - without a win in six league matches - remain fourth in the
East, where first and sixth are only separated by six points.

Drogba brought the Montreal crowd to their feet in the fourth
minute, with a thunderous free-kick up and over the wall from
long range.

The evergreen 37-year-old produced another treat seven
minutes later, when he pounced on a misplaced pass, skipped
past Steve Birnbaum and scooped the ball over Bill Hamid.

DC had a golden opportunity to reduce the deficit moments later
but Chris Rolfe was denied by goalkeeper Evan Bush on the goal
line.

The stars aligned in Vancouver as in-form New York City
claimed a last-gasp 2-1 win at the Western Conference-leading
Whitecaps.

David Villa took his season tally to 17 goals with the match-
winning 95th-minute penalty after Frank Lampard was fouled
inside the area by Matias Laba.

The Whitecaps, who crashed to a third consecutive defeat,
thought they had earned a point when Pedro Morales converted
a spot-kick with two minutes of regulation remaining.

Earlier, star New York duo Andrea Pirlo and Lampard combined
to open the scoring in the 29th minute, with the latter on hand to
tuck the ball beyond David Ousted.

New York have now won three consecutive matches for the first
time in their history to be five points adrift of the play-offs in the
East, while the Whitecaps are still one point clear atop the West.
Elsewhere, Toronto FC came from behind to beat lowly Chicago
Fire 3-2.

Portland Timbers boosted their play-off hopes with a 2-1 win at
Columbus Crew.

New England Revolution missed the chance to go top in the East
and book a post-season berth after playing out a 1-1 draw
against Philadelphia Union.

Houston Dynamo, meanwhile, overcame Colorado Rapids 3-2 in
a five-goal thriller.