New England Revolution beat Wanyama’s side Montreal Impact 1-0 as Henry kneels for 8 minutes, 46 seconds at MLS game

 

Victor Wanyama in action: Impact lost 1-0 in Thursday's game, their opener in the "MLS Is Back" tournament.

New England Revolution on Thursday earned an exciting 1-0 victory over Montreal Impact in their opening game at the MLS is Back Tournament in Orlando.

The teams were deadlocked 0-0 until Argentine forward Gustavo Bou scored in the 56th minute to give New England the all-important first goal.

This was after Bou rounded 38-year-old defender Rod Fanni at the edImpact lost 1-0 in Thursday's game, their opener in the "MLS Is Back" tournament.ge of the box and hammered a left-footed shot high over an outstretched Clement Diop.

The Impact also seemed to have improved since the opener, adding Harambee Stars midfielder Victor Wanyama.

Montreal coach Thierry Henry added several attacking players in the late going, and the moves nearly paid off as Ballou Jean-Yves Tabla’s left-footer was parried by Matt Turner in the sixth minute of added time.

New England had chances to extend the lead but couldn't finish them.

The night marked Montreal's first outing since March 10 when it lost 2-1 to CD Olimpia in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League quarter-finals at Olympic Stadium.

Thierry Henry Kneels for 8 Minutes and 46 Seconds in Rousing George Floyd Tribute

The teams and officials took to the field on a hot night at ESPN's Wide World of Sports wearing face masks, discarding them before kickoff. Players and officials took a knee before kickoff with Impact coach Thierry Henry doing the same on the sideline.

Thierry took a knee for eight minutes and 46 seconds at the start of their Major League Soccer game against New England to show his support for the campaign against social injustice.

Henry, who also wore a T-shirt with the slogan 'Black Lives Matter', took a knee inside his technical area at kick-off in memory of George Floyd, a Black man who died after a white police officer knelt on his neck for the same amount of time.

"Well I sat down for eight minutes and 46 seconds, I guess you guys know why. So that was just to pay tribute and show support to the cause, that was basically it and pretty simple," Henry said at a post-match news conference.

The former Arsenal and France striker had called last month for urgent action to be taken to stop racism in the wake of Floyd's death.