MONTREAL — Impact coach Mauro Biello called Anthony Jackson-Hamel his "ace in the hole."
Substitute Jackson-Hamel came off the bench and scored the winner five minutes later as the Montreal Impact came from behind to beat Orlando City SC 2-1 on Saturday.
"He's been super important for us this year," said Biello of Jackson-Hamel. "He's scored how many big goals for us coming off the bench. When you have a player like that, who feeds off of tired defenders at the end of the game, who finds spaces that are more open, it becomes effective for me."
Jackson-Hamel entered a 1-1 game in the 79th minute and scored his sixth goal of the season in the 84th minute as the Impact (7-8-6) snapped a two-game losing skid.
With time winding down in the game, the 24-year-old homegrown player fired a soft roller from a tight angle inside the box that went between the legs of defender Jose Aja and just out of goalkeeper Joe Bendik's reach.
"When I come into the game, it's to score goals," said Jackson-Hamel. "I know I'm going to have one chance and I have to put it away. It's as simple as that. My whole focus is on that one chance and that's it.
"The goal is to be a starter, that's not a secret. But I'll keeping earning the coach's trust and I'll keep scoring goals."
Jackson-Hamel now has six goals — five as a substitute — in just 468 playing minutes.
Against Atlanta United in April, Jackson-Hamel came into the game in the 82nd minute and scored the game winner in stoppage time. The following week in Philadelphia, he scored twice off the bench to salvage a 3-3 draw. Against Columbus in May, he scored three minutes after coming into the match.
"His goals-per-minute statistics must be incredible," said captain Patrice Bernier. "He understands his role to perfection. He's so calm. He's always at the right place. He has what natural goal scorers have: a flair for goals."
The victory put Montreal in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, five points from the final playoff position.
The Impact were down at halftime but Ignacio Piatti got the comeback going three minutes into the second, to the relief of the 20,801 fans at Saputo Stadium — Montreal's first sell-out crowd of the season.
The Argentine weaved his way through Orlando's defence before being taken down in the box by Aja. The Impact midfielder would have been clear on goal.
Piatti fired hard and low in the bottom right corner. Bendik guessed right and got his hand on the ball but couldn't stop the shot.
Orlando City (8-9-6) remains winless in MLS in its last four games.
"To allow a goal in the opening minutes of the second half is unacceptable," said Orlando coach Jason Kreis. "It's unprofessional, in my opinion. It's far too many times this season. Our guys looked like they were still in the locker room."
Piatti almost netted a second goal when his curled attempt from the edge of the box rang off the crossbar in the 72nd minute.
Canadian international Cyle Larin jumped on a mistake by Marco Donadel in the 12th minute for his team-leading ninth of the season.
Larin and Donadel tussled for the ball in Montreal's half, with the Impact midfielder choosing to send a back pass to Evan Bush. The pass was too weak and Bush was forced to charge, but Larin got to it first and poked it into the back of the net for his first goal since May 31.
Notes: For just the second time this season, Piatti, Blerim Dzemaili and Matteo Mancosu were in the starting lineup together. … Major League Soccer introduced the new video assistant referee (VAR) across the league on Saturday. It was not needed in Saturday's contest in Montreal.
Kelsey Patterson, The Canadian Press