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Photo by Jim Wells/Postmedia

But the Major League Soccer team prevailed, defending its own net at all costs much to the chagrin of most of the 5,633 fans on hand, many of them using their cellphones to help light the field as the night fell hard on the contest.

“Honestly, I was very, very surprised that the organization of this game was so poor in terms of light for the integrity of the players,” said Impact head coach Remi Garde. “I’m not saying it was worse for us or them. Except for that, everything was amazing and perfect here.”

Especially the victory for Garde & Co.

Despite early pressure from the Cavs, it was the Impact getting the only goal of the match in the 13th minute. Anthony Jackson-Hamel got his head on a corner kick taken by Saphir Taider that diving goalkeeper Marco Carducci could only get his fingertips on.

“We knew we had to score one,” Garde said. “We knew because of the (slow conditions of the) field and because of the way they play here that we would come under pressure. But I would like to congratulate my team.”

Indeed, the experienced Impact turned back the Cavalry attack game-wide, somehow managing to survive everything thrown at them by a charged-up home side, thanks to the desperate need for offence and an electric crowd.

That press included a header of their own, just minutes after the Impact strike, when Dominick Zator directed a corner that Impact goalie Clement Diop stretched up to get his fingers on to deflect it over the net.

Three long-range throw-ins by Nico Pasquotti proved dangerous but unsuccessful for the hosts, as did a pass from Pasquotti from the back line out through the six-yard box.