Breakout Game for Lenhart

Crew Draw Toluca 2-2 in Champions League Quarterfinals Thriller

By Rob Ivory

COLUMBUS, OH - March 9, 2010 - The Columbus Crew fell behind two goals to the Mexican side Toluca Tuesday night in the first half. With physical play and two goals from Steven Lenhart, the Crew tied the ‘Diablos Rojos’ in front on 4,402 at Crew Stadium in the first leg of the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions League.

“I thought the game was pretty good overall,” Columbus Crew head coach Robert Warzycha said confidently about his team’s performance.

The Crew got the rust off the spikes early as they pushed for the opening goal early. Several chances ensued, but none better than Steven Lenhart’s ninth minute right footed shot in the box that was knocked out by Toluca’s keeper, Alfredo Talavera.

The Red Devils would strike first, though, as they used the counter attack to perfection; a long pass to Antonio Naelson caught the Crew off-guard. The Toluca midfielder feinted two different times outside of the box, used Crew Danny O’Rourke as a shield and put the Mexican side up, 1-nil as he slid the ball past a diving Will Hesmer.          
The Crew looked for ideas to get their equalizer, and the right foot of Adam Moffat almost sealed the deal. Moffat rocketed two close shots to the Toluca goal in only a small time frame, first in the 26th minute that ran just far left of the net, then in the 32nd minute that Talavera had to push away. The Crew again would find the wrong side of the net as Eddie Gaven had an open shot in the 38th minute that was again, wide left.

“It felt good in practice before the game,” Moffat said of his shot. “I knew if I got a little space I was going to take the shot.”

Toluca was able to orchestrate a fantastic goal before the end of the half to take the demanding 2-nil lead. A Vladimir Marin cross that was headed by Crew defender Eric Brunner, who was challenged by Toluca’s Raul Nava, set up a 25-yard golaso by forward Isaac Brizuela. Brizuela, who was wide open, put a rocket shot into the upper left hand corner of the net, past Hesmer. Hesmer had no chance at saving the shot.

“Toluca is a good team and they punished us in the first half,” Warzycha said. “I am giving credit to (Brizuela), because (the shot) was amazing.”

Columbus looked to have their passes down throughout the first half, but from time to time coughed up the unnecessary ball. In all, the Crew put just one shot on goal in the half, versus Toluca’s three.

“At the half we talked about shortening up the field, because we were giving up too much space,” the Crew coach said. “I think that we corrected that in the second half.”

The MLS side came out roaring in the second half and had more key opportunities early. Just five minutes in, Robbie Rogers had a shot in the box that Talavera had to deal with quickly.

Columbus made sure that the Diablos Rojos knew that the Crew were not going down without a fight, literally. In the 57th minute, while fighting for the ball, Crew defender Gino Padula gave Toluca’s Brizuela a forearm shiver that resulted in the Mexican having a cut to his eye. Shoving, pushing, and name calling ensued as the Jamaican referee Courtney Campbell was able to separate the sides, but only for a few minutes.

“I was worried after the play,” Brizuela said in Spanish about his cut, “but after the doctor examined my eye, I only needed it cleaned and some surgical tape.”

Tensions flared, again in the 63rd, as Moffat blatantly ran into Brizuela and the Toluca side took much offense to it. The two sides met, but this time Toluca’s Marin got a yellow card for his physical nature in the mêlée. He would eventually subbed off in the 78th minute, possibly to save him from accumulating his second yellow and a suspension of the return leg.

“Because the ref was not making the calls,” the Colombian said through a translator, “it was up to the players to keep the pace of the game and to make sure they were responding accordingly to the rough play.”

The Crew pulled one back as Emmanuel Ekpo played a high ball into the box, that Steven Lenhart chested to himself, then half volleyed the ball into the top of the net. Crew got their equalizer in the 66th minute and made it a series again.

Crew head coach Robert Warzycha used his three subs in quick succession as he brought in Emilio Renteria (for Ekpo) in the 72nd, Kevin Burns (for Moffat) and Jason Garey (for Rogers) in the 78th minute. The Crew came close to tying the game when Eric Brunner almost put a header in from a corner.

Despite the Crew going down 2-0, they were able to square the series up, as Lenhart was able to score his second of the night. Lenhart got a nice pass in the box from Renteria and the forward was left one-on-one with the Toluca keeper. Lenhart faked to his right and shot the ball to his left, beating the goalie who had gone down to the first deke.

“I think I had good chances and got a little lucky,” Lenhart said after the match. “It was the team creating chances and it paid off.”

The series was tied 2-2, but the momentum had shifted to the Crew as the Nordeke had raised their voices for their home club. And they were almost treated to a game winner in the 86th minute, when Renteria was fouled on the side of the box, which could have been a caution.

No card, but the Crew had a critical free kick at a critical time. “I think it was a very physical game that put my players, as well as the Crew players, in harm’s way.” Toluca head coach Jose Manuel de la Torre said in Spanish. “I am very upset and disappointed at the level of refereeing in the game tonight.”

Padula stood over the ball and took the kick, but he kicked it higher than any player could have reached, even if they were eight feet tall.

“I thought our level of fitness was pretty good,” Warzycha said. 2-2 was the final on the night, but the Crew must feel that they won a big battle. Both these teams meet in Toluca on March 17 at 8 pm.

“Toluca is a very dangerous place to play,” Warzycha said.

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