Crew Puts Up Wall In 0-0 Draw Against Toronto FC
by David DiCenzo, Columbus Wired Contributor

Toronto_ The Columbus Crew underwent a style makeover in Toronto Saturday afternoon. The offensively adept Crew morphed into a gritty defending side in an unattractive 0-0 draw with Toronto FC in front of 20,358 disappointed fans at BMO Field.

Columbus had an MLS-best 14 goals through seven matches (tied with the L.A Galaxy) heading into the meeting with TFC but opportunities in the home side's end were rare as the league leading Crew (6-1-1, 19 points) had to focus much more on defending Toronto's attacking players.

"I thought we battled as a team an everyone battled for each other," said Columbus captain Frankie Hejduk.
"I think we played like an away team. We defended like absolute pricks."

The two sides entered the match as the hottest in the MLS, with the Crew having won five straight and TFC (3-2-2, 11 points) unbeaten in four, with three wins and draw following two losses out of the gate.

Toronto produced the more significant opportunities of the match. Midfielder Rohan Ricketts had one of TFC's better chances when he got loose in the area in the 75th minute but his weak shot was no trouble for Crew keeper Will Hesmer, who was one of the better Columbus performers, making six stops.

The Crew had a glorious chance to bag the first goal of the match nine minutes into the second half. Striker Alejandro Moreno, who was quiet for most of the opening 45 minutes, won the ball in a battle with TFC defender Tyrone Marshall and unleashed a low shot from in close that just missed the far post to the right of Toronto keeper Greg Sutton.

Moreno got free again in the 85th minute but a heavy touch in the area allowed Sutton to comfortably pounce on the ball before the Columbus forward could get his foot on it.

In the 60th minute, recently acquired TFC midfielder Laurent Robert lashed a left-footed shot from about 20 yards out that beat Hesmer but rang hard off of the post.

"I didn't think that we had a real particularly good game offensively so it was one of those games we had to make sure we didn't give one up," said Crew coach Sigi Schmid.  "A point on the road, we're happy with it."

TFC, in search of its first ever win against the Crew, pressed the action in the opening minutes of the game. Crew midfielder Brian Carroll headed an early TFC corner kick clear in the fourth minute and moments later, Hesmer was forced into making a key stop on a thunderous shot from midfielder Amado Guevara, which resulted in the home side's second corner.

Guevara had a glorious chance to tally in the 16th minute when his one-time strike sailed over the net after Robert had set the TFC midfielder up beautifully at the top of the box.

The Crew's Guillermo Barros Schelotto got a taste of the boisterous TFC crowd minutes later, evading a barrage of red and white streamers as he set up to take a Columbus corner. Schelotto received the same treatment on the opposite side while attempting a corner just before the half time and drew the ire of both the crowd and the referee when he was booked for diving in the second half.

TFC coach John Carver was appalled by Schelotto's theatrics throughout but Schmid suggested his counterpart worry about his own players.

"Guillermo is a very competitive individual who plays with a lot of passion and fire," said the Crew boss. "He plays with that emotion but that's what makes him a good player."

After defending well for most of the opening third of the match, Columbus would produce its best chance of the first half in the 25th minute. Reigning MLS Player of the Week Robbie Rogers almost put the Crew ahead 1-0 when he was sent in and eluded Sutton but his low shot was cleared away in the six-yard box by Marshall.

Despite the limited opportunities, Columbus seemed to frustrate TFC and the red-clad crowd, known throughout the MLS as the most rowdy in the league.

"Sometimes ugly games are good for you," said Hejduk. "I think that was a great game for us as a team in terms of knowing that we can battle on the road and get through it and get a point out of it.

"Toronto is a very European-like atmosphere. If you go to Europe, that's pretty much how every (road) team plays. You always hear it, and there's a reason for it, a point is good on the road."

"We did what we needed to do to get a point."

Turning Point: TFC's Robert almost secured three points for the home side with his blast in the second half but the post proved to be Hesmer's best friend, essentially allowing the Crew to stretch their unbeaten streak to six matches.

Crew Man of the Match: Danny O'Rourke
The central defender was a beast in the box and made it tough for the TFC forwards all day.

Quote of the Day: "I looked a little bit overweight." – TFC head coach John Carver when asked his thoughts on how he appeared in a DVD he apparently received documenting his outburst in a recent 1-1 draw with new York Red Bull.

Columbus returns home to face New England on Saturday.