Toronto FC-Impact Match Draws Capacity Crowd At Olympic Stadium

A "capacity crowd" of 61,004 was on hand at Montreal's Olympic Stadium last night as the Impact defeated Toronto FC 3-2 in the first leg of their two-game MLS playoff series. The scheduled start time of 8:00pm ET was "delayed a full 30 minutes" after the goal box was "deemed too small, sending stadium officials onto the pitch to paint new lines at both ends." That prompted Impact Owner Joey Saputo to "issue a public apology" in an interview with ESPN (MONTREAL GAZETTE, 11/23). The crowd was the "second largest for an MLS playoff game behind only the 61,316" at Gillette Stadium for the Galaxy-Revolution MLS Cup final in '02 (ESPNFC.com, 11/22).

Also last night, the Rapids-Sounders playoff game drew a crowd of 42,774 "poncho-wearing fans at rain-soaked CenturyLink Field." The Sounders won 2-1 (DENVER POST, 11/23).