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 After a break for the World Cup
and riding a three game winless
streak, the Crew restarted the
season against D.C. United at
Crew Stadium. Guillermo Barros-
Schelotto scored a contested
goal and Eric Brunner added his
first of the season to lead the
Columbus to a 2-0 win in front
of a crowd of 15,335 fans.
D.C. United (3-9-1, 7 pts) came
out determined to continue their
recent upswing with Chris
Pontius getting the first shot
on goal just thirty-eight
seconds into the match. They are
now 2-0-2 in the last four
matches, 7th in the Eastern
Conference.
Columbus (7-2-3, 24 pts.) came
off two road losses entering the
MLS break for World Cup play.
Head coach Robert Warzycha
changed to a 3-5-2 formation for
the first time this season.
Emilio Renteria was inserted as
the extra midfielder, while
Warzycha chose to go with Jason
Garey up top in place of Steven
Lenhart.
Columbus was without Frankie
Hejduk, fighting a nagging
hamstring injury which flared up
last weekend playing a team in
Dayton. Danny O'Rourke also
missed the match with quadriceps
strain.
The Crew had numerous chances in the first half but could not
get one past goalkeeper Troy Perkins. Columbus outshot D.C.
United 24-15 and 9-5 on goal in the match.
They finally put one past Perkins in the 57th minute. Andrew
Moffat made the run down the right side and zipped the ball
ahead to Emilio Renteria. Renteria took the shot before being
taken down from the defender. The shot hit the far post and what
initially looked off the chest of Schelotto. He was able to get
the ball under control and put it in the near post.
The defender insisted that the ball touched Schelotto hand which
stopped the ball, but the referee awarded the goal. It was the
team leading 5th goal of the season for Schelotto.
“The ball hit my arm after the post,” Schelotto said. “I was
surprised, but I don’t know if the ref saw the play. Maybe he
understands the ball hit me. I had no intention to settle the
ball next to me.”
Renteria was substituted with Lenhart in the 70th minute. He has
not played 90 minutes in a while and was getting winded. Lenhart
also provided a bit more speed up front with D.C. United trying
desperately to get a win and try to salvage any type of season.
Robert Warzycha made a second substitution in the 77th minute,
replacing Jason Garey with Emmanuel Ekpo. Ekpo made an immediate
impact with a goal shot in the 79th minute.
“I wasn’t happy about the first half, but I was pretty happy
with the second half,” Warzycha said. “I’m giving credit to D.C.
in the first half because they were better organized and we
couldn’t break them down. We were possessing the ball, but they
were managing to win the middle third and from that point on
they were very dangerous.”
Eric Brunner solidified the Crew win in the 87th minute when he
was left wide open and took advantage of a corner kick by
Schelotto. As the ball came across the mouth of the goal and
bounced into the penalty area, Brunner moved around defender
Jordan Graye and deflected the ball into the net for his 1st
goal of the season and a timely insurance goal.
“He (Schelotto) makes things happen,” Brunner said of the corner
kick.
D.C. United was very tired towards the end of the game and it
showed just as stoppage time was beginning. Lenhart was hauled
down by Clyde Simms in the penalty area and awarded a penalty
kick. Schelotto generally takes the penalty kicks, but deferred
to Lenhart, which Perkins was able to turn away.
“I went to him and said, ‘Maybe you should take this penalty,’ ”
Schelotto said. “He needs to relax next time and set the ball in
the corner, not the middle.”
“In my mind, Steven shouldn’t take the penalty,” Warzycha said.
“I don’t know why he put the team in a situation like this. If
it’s 3-0, it’s 3-0, then they are not going to come back from
3-0 down.”
Crew goalkeeper William Hesmer had to make a few highlight
saves, starting in the very first minute when he stole a
potential goal from Pontius. He added another shutout to his
fine season and stopped all five United shots.
The Crew continues its home stand against the Chicago Fire next
Saturday at 8 pm.
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