Rain, Rain, Rapids Go Away with a Loss

By Gary L. Moody Jr.

COLUMBUS, OH - August 21, 2010 - Thanks to goals from three different players, the Columbus Crew (12-5-4) turned a short rest into a 3-1 victory over the visiting Colorado Rapids (7-5-8).

Crew Head Coach Robert Warzycha went with a similar lineup despite mounting injuries and a very crowded schedule. Midfielder Robbie Rogers (knee cyst) and defender Gino Padula (knee inflammation) remained out with injuries, while Brian Carroll returned from illness to find a spot on the substitute bench.

Eddie Gaven gave the Crew their first opportunity of the night in just the sixth minute after he was taken down in the box by an overaggresive Matt Pickens. The PK would go to the one and only Guillermo Barros Schelotto, who beat Pickens to deliver a 1-0 lead for the Crew. Schelotto has been the "Iron Man" of the Crew this season, leading all field players in minutes played.

The Crew attack would then go quiet for almost 25 minutes with Columbus focused on repelling the advance of the Rapids. The defense for Columbus held strong despite several chances produced by Colorado. Crew Stadium would fall silent in the 46th as veteran Pablo Mastroeni brought the score even just before the half. Emmanuel Ekpo lost track of Mastroeni, while Andy Iro was caught out of position on the Rapids' goal. Colorado's captain worked in combination with Mehdi Ballouchy to get the goal for the Rapids. There seemed to be a shift in momentum towards the visiting team at the half, but the real answer would come in the final 45 minutes.

"When we came in at 1 each at halftime I was very, very pleased," Rapids Head Coach Gary Smith commented in the post-game press conference. "The guys felt that they could go on to win the game. At that point there was no reason to suggest that we couldn't."

However, the second half became an entirely different story, one dedicated to the Crew attack. A Crew squad that had fallen asleep for nearly half an hour suddenly came to life. Jason Garey, who has now put together a string of solid performances, pushed the Crew up 2-1 in the 53rd, thanks to a solid opportunistic effort. Garey would threaten again in the 61st, but slipped on the wet turf trying to reach a precise pass from Eddie Gaven.

The heavy rain seemed to rejuvenate the Crew attack as several breakaways resulted in even more opportunities for Columbus. Garey had a sure goal disallowed minutes later as the Rapids struggled to keep pace. It looked to be a legitimate offsides call even though several Crew players disputed the decision.

"I think Jason Garey did a good job today," Coach Warzycha suggested. "He was very busy, obviously that was a good finish on the second goal."

Both coaches would make some tactical substitutions with the Rapids opting for Jamie Smith, Claudio Lopez, and Quincy Amarikwa. The Crew called on both Carroll and Steven Lenhart.

Warzycha's decision to bring Lenhart off the bench provided immediate dividends as the Crew scored their final goal in the 80th minute. A Schelotto corner kick connected with Chad Marshall, who deflected it to Lenhart for the finish. The 3-1 lead for the Crew gave the Rapids a lot to think about, but not much time to act. The match would end with no change in score, even though the visitors put forth a great effort to get back into the game.

When asked about his lineup choices and the rationale behind them, Warzycha stated, "We are not putting the players on the field to fail. We put them on to succeed."

"Whether they are coming off the bench or starting the game, they are doing what they are supposed to do: they play hard and they play for the team," Warzycha continued.

Without a short turnaround, the Crew's focus changes back to CONCACAF Champions League play as they face Santos Laguna on Tuesday evening.

A potentially hostile environment awaits the Crew on their trip to Estadio Nuevo Corona in Mexico. Veteran midfielder Duncan Oughton admits he has seen a little bit of everything. "You kinda know what you are going to get. They usually throw different stuff at you. We'll see what they come up with this time."

Columbus Crew Starting XI- GK William Hesmer, DEF Frankie Hejduk (C), DEF Chad Marshall, DEF Andy Iro, DEF Shaun Francis, MID Eddie Gaven, MID Adam Moffat, MID Danny O'Rourke, MID Emmanuel Ekpo, FWD Jason Garey FWD Guillermo Barros Schelotto

Colorado Rapids Starting XI- GK Matt Pickens, DEF Marvell Wynne, DEF Julian Baudet, DEF Scott Palguta, DEF Drew Moor, MID Wells Thompson, MID Pablo Mastroeni (C), MID Jeff Larentowicz, MID Mehdi Ballouchy, FWD Omar Cummings, FWD Conor Casey

Columbus Crew Bench- GK Andy Gruenebaum, DEF Eric Brunner, MID Brian Carroll, MID Leandre Griffit, MID Duncan Oughton, FWD Steven Lenhart, FWD Emilio Renteria

Colorado Rapids Bench- GK Chris Sharpe, DEF Danny Earls, DEF Kosuke Kimura, MID Ross LaBauex, MID Jamie Smith, FWD Quincy Amarikwa, FWD Claudio Lopez

More News

The View from Our Crew Home