by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, Mar 19, 2015

Cameron Porter

Ignacio Piatti

Victor Cabrera

Frank Klopas

Dominic Oduro

Justin Mapp

Marco Donadel

Costa Rica vs. MLS in Costa Rica:

2008:

2009:

2010:

2011:

2011:

2012:

2013:

2013:

2014:

2015:

Nigel Reo-Coker

March 18 in Montreal

Montreal Impact 2 Alajuelense 0.

Montreal Impact --

Alajuelense --

Twice before the Montreal Impact has jumped out to 2-0 leads in Concacaf Champions League knockout series and both times it blew them, so it was not about to get too excited about a 2-0 lead over Alajuelense in Game 1 of the semifinals of this year's tournament.But the manner of the victory was impressive -- two goals in the first 14 minutes -- especially for a team that finished last in MLS's Eastern Conference in 2014.In 2009, it led Santos of Mexico 2-0 after the first leg and then 4-1 on aggregate at the half of the second leg before losing, 5-4, on a pair of last-minute goals. In this year's quarterfinals, it led Pachuca of Mexico, 2-0, in the second half on the road before settling for a 2-2 tie and going behind 3-2 on aggregate in the second leg before's Montreal miracle.On Wednesday, it took the Impact just 14 minutes to open up a two-goal lead on Alajuelense, and it held on in front of 33,675 fans at Olympic Stadium.Goals by Argentinesandin the first 14 minutes secured the win for Montreal, which was without head coach, who suspended after being ejected celebrating Porter's last-second goal in the second leg of the quarterfinals against Pachuca. Porter, the rookie out of Princeton, got his first pro start on Wednesday night was quickly at it again, setting up Piatti's goal in the ninth minute with a nifty backheel of a ball played in by"I was waiting for the cross," explained Piatti. "I didn't think Porter was going to let the ball pass. When I got the ball, I controlled it and my shot was able to go in. It was a relief for me to be able to score as I haven't scored in a while."Oduro was moved to the right wing and Porter was starting up front aswas sidelined after surgery to a broken arm suffered in the Impact's MLS opener at D.C. United.The second goal came off a corner kick by Italianthat fell to Cabrera, who put the ball away.The Impact played well in Mexico but it will face a more difficult task in Alajuela, where LDA crushed D.C. United, 5-2, in the first round of this year's quarterfinal series. That win gave Costa Rican teams a 6-2-2 record in 10 games at home against MLS clubs in the Concacaf Champions League.Saprissa-D.C. United 2-2Saprissa-Columbus Crew 0-1Saprissa-Seattle Sounders 2-0*Saprissa-Real Salt Lake 2-1Alajuelense-LA Galaxy 1-0Herediano-Real Salt Lake 1-0*Herediano-LA Galaxy 0-0Cartagines-LA Galaxy 0-3Saprissa-Sporting KC 2-0*Alajuelense-D.C. United 5-2*Knockout phase."It's a great result we got today and we put ourselves in a great position," said midfielder. "If you look at our performance today, I think we now have the confidence for when we play in Costa Rica. We need to have the same approach, the same attitude, the same commitment as a team and the same work rate."Goals: Piatti 9, Cabrera 14.Bush; Cabrera, Soumare, Ciman, Toia; Reo-Coker, Donadel (Mallace 62), Oduro, Piatti (Bernier 76), Duka (Tissot 46); Porter.Lewis; Salvatierra, Acosta, Lopez, Soto; Gutierrez, Venegas, Rodriguez, Matarrita (Gabas 65); McDonald (Calvo 54), Ortiz (Sanchez 74).