Montreal Impact's Laurent Ciman celebrates after scoring against Real Salt Lake during first half MLS soccer action in Montreal, Saturday, May 16, 2015.Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press
Andres Romero scored twice and Laurent Ciman had another in the first half as the Montreal Impact defeated Real Salt Lake 4-1 for their first win of the Major League Soccer season.
Dilly Duka also had a goal for Montreal (1-3-2) before a thin crowd on a wet day. Devon Sandoval scored for Salt Lake (3-3-5).
With assistant Mauro Biello filling in for suspended head coach Frank Klopas, the Impact scored more than two goals in a game for the first time in 25 matches since last June.
They did it with a dominant first half that could have produced a fourth goal, but Ignacio Piatti's penalty was stopped by Nick Rimando with a dive to his left to push the ball off the post. Rimando has stopped 10 of the last 14 penalties he faced.
Only 18 minutes in, Ciman was on the far side to volley home a corner from Marco Donadel for the Belgian's first MLS goal.
Piatti chipped a pass over the defence for Romero to lob over Rimando in the 20th minute.
Nine minutes later, Calum Mallace crossed to Dominic Oduro, whose shot was tipped off the post to Romero for an easy shot into an open side.
Salt Lake, which played a soft first half and faced its worst intermission deficit since 2011 at D.C. United, struck back two minutes into the second half. Luis Gil bulled the ball into the Montreal area and Sandoval's left-footed chip sailed over Evan Bush and inside the far post.
Substitutes Eric Alexander and Jack McInerney combined on a play that saw Duka score into an open side in the 78th.
Salt Lake ended a five-game winless run last week with a 2-1 victory at Chicago.
Notes: The Impact added forward Kenny Cooper (knee surgery) to an injured list that includes defenders Donny Toia, Victor Cabrera and Hassoun Camara, midfielder Justin Mapp and forward Cameron Porter. . . Defender Ambroise Oyongo, who was acquired in Janaury but only reported this week, was not in the lineup. . . Opponents are only 43 for 68 all-time on penalties against Rimando. . . Salt Lake, which is without Chris Schuler, Javier Morales and Joao Plata, made no changes to their starting 11 from last week.