Impact edge Crew in opening leg of Eastern Conference semi-final series

Commanding the attention of large crowds is a standard attribute of stardom, so when big No. 11 in blue wandered over to the right touchline and clapped his hands, the fans knew what to do.

Of course they broke into a loud cheer for Didier Drogba and his Montreal Impact teammates. The striker's place in the town's sporting hierarchy has quickly become entrenched (only a notch or two below people like Canadiens defenceman P.K. Subban, who he has been known to hang with).

The 37-year-old Ivoirien came into the eastern semi-final of the Major League Soccer playoffs on a bit of a tear: 12 goals in his past 12 games.

He might not be as fleet as he used to be, but the former Chelsea forward still fits the poster from Stamford Bridge behind one of the Saputo Stadium goals that proclaims "Drogba Legend."

The action tends to follow him around.

Montreal was a good side before its star designated player arrived this summer – this is a club that played in the CONCACAF Champions' League final last spring – and it has become exponentially better with Drogba leading the attack.

As Columbus Crew manager Gregg Berhalter told an Ohio reporter this week: "I'm not sure there's an answer [for Drogba]."

With Montreal playing its third game in a week – this time playing host to Columbus in the first leg of a home-and-home, which the Impact can win with a draw next week after a 2-1 win on Sunday – Drogba was instrumental in the game's first goal.

It was not in a way Montreal fans have become accustomed to.

When Montreal midfielder Ignacio Piatti put in a challenge from behind against the Crew's Tony Tchani in the 32nd minute, Federico Higuain lined up the free kick from a good central position – and promptly rolled the ball out to the left wing.

When the cross came off Justin Meram's right boot, there were four blue shirts in front of goal.

Drogba rose highest, and glanced a header straight down to Higuain, who managed to overcome his surprise long enough to swipe the ball into an empty Montreal net.

To that point, the game had been fairly even. Drogba had a goal waved off in the 15th minute after bustling through the Columbus central defenders. His shot bounced up off keeper Steve Clark, caromed off Drogba and rolled into the net.

"I looked at it again, and I didn't see a foul," Montreal bench boss Mauro Biello said. "It was a very soft call … When you have Didier Drogba you're going to have to match up physically, because he's so big sometimes the refs don't give him the benefit of the doubt."

The Impact hasn't always had an easy time after giving up the first goal. It didn't take long to offer their riposte.

Montreal right back Ambroise Oyongo stormed down the right flank and earned a corner in the 37th minute when his cross attempt was sliced behind the net.

Marco Donadel stepped up and his in-swinger found the forehead of Impact skipper Patrice Bernier, who rose majestically to nod the ball into the top left corner.

The marking on Bernier, a 36-year-old who scored his second goal in as many MLS playoff games this year, was almost as shoddy as that on Higuain's goal.

Columbus, a far tougher defensive nut to crack than Montreal's opponent in the knockout stage last Thursday (Toronto FC), had its chances to take the lead in this one.

The central defence pairing of Laurent Ciman – who signalled his intent by winning the first aerial duel of the game with MLS's joint top-scorer Kei Kamara – and Victor Cabrera did their part, however.

Kamara was largely peripheral on the night.

As the game wore on, Drogba's running battle with Crew defender Gaston Sauro – the two tussled all night, at one point Sauro had to leave to have his bloody chin seen to – raised the temperature.

With the away-goal rule looming in their minds Montreal began pouring forward in search of a second.

In the 68th minute, Drogba tumbled in the Columbus penalty area but his appeals were waved away by match official Chris Penso, who also denied a Montreal spot kick for handball in the late going.

The goal was coming though, and in the 77th minute Montreal got it.

Substitute Johan Venegas nicked the ball away from Columbus captain Michael Parkhurst just inside the Crew's half, and broke in two-on-one on the Crew goal with Drogba to his right.

His skills weren't required.

Venegas curled a right-footed shot past the advancing keeper and into the far side of the goal, setting off lusty cheers from the all-dancing, all-singing Ultras section behind the net.

Moments later, Drogba struck a marvellous, dipping free kick from just to the left of goal that Clark kept out with a desperate diving parry to his left.

His next chance game from Ignacio Piatti's nifty footwork at the edge of the penalty area – the Argentine was great this night – but Drogba's header looped harmlessly into the keeper's hands.

With the clocking winding toward 90 minutes, Drogba slid in to try to intercept a Clark clearance; he earned a yellow card for grabbing hold of the keeper's leg and wrestling him to the ground, an apparent retaliation for getting stepped on.

He remonstrated, the crowd loved it. The big man, it seems, can do no wrong in their eyes.