Columbus Comes Up Short Against Chivas USA

Matt Bernhardt
April 2, 2009

The Columbus Crew played their hearts out on Sunday evening, but could only manage a 2-1 loss to Chivas USA.

After Thursday's disaster in Salt Lake, the Columbus Crew had a tall order in front of them. Could they bounce back and erase the memories of that lopsided defeat? Could the players establish that chip on their shoulder that carried them through the low points from last season - or would they be shown still to be resting on last year's laurels?

The early minutes of the game saw a slight edge going to the home side, as Chivas USA produced more chances, but none of particularly high quality. A sequence around the fifteenth minute produced some nervous moments on the Crew back line, but the Goats were unable to produce a real quality shot from the chaos.

Eddie Gaven, in the meantime, was lucky not to be carded inside the first ten minutes for flopping unconvincingly in the penalty area.

The Crew right winger still produced some highlight moments in the opening minutes, however. Twice in the first twenty minutes he found himself with headers at the back post, but each time his effort was equalled by a save from Zach Thornton.

Chivas USA broke the deadlock in the 25th minute. Quick cyclical passing on the Crew's right flank pulled Danny O'Rourke out of position, allowing #24 to get in deep and reach the end line. His ground-level cross toward the top of the 6 yard box found an onrushing Atiba Harris for the easy tap-in. Andy Iro was caught ballwatching on the goal.

Within two minutes, the Crew threatened Chivas' goal again. As before the chance came from the left side; this time it was Robbie Rogers who gained a sliver of space in the left channel, just enough to loft a cross to a waiting Eddie Gaven at the back post. Gaven's looping header forced a save from Thornton at full stretch, just tipping the ball over the crossbar.

Throughout the game, the Crew appeared to be very happy to play the role of the visiting team, sitting back and providing little pressure on the Chivas players if they held the ball. At other times, however, the fire that characterized the team last year came peeking out.

The Crew conjured an equalizing goal in the 37th minute through Andy Iro. Guillermo Barros Schelotto took a corner kick from the Crew's right flank, lofting it too far over the mass of people in the box. Emmanuel Ekpo tracked the ball down, and sent a little chipped pass back into the mixer. Alejandro Moreno got the slightest of touches, nodding the ball just over his marker and allowing Andy Iro to turn and fire home from close range.

Just minutes later, Chad Marshall nearly put the Crew in front, again from a Schelotto set piece. The Argentine sent a free kick from distance in toward the back post, where an unmarked Chad Marshall got his right foot on the ball with pace. Zach Thornton was equal to the task, however, tipping the shot to his right around the post to snuff out the chance.

Chivas started the second half more brightly, retaking the lead within five minutes of the resumption of play. Atiba Harris got his heels clipped by Danny O'Rourke entering the Crew's right channel, setting up a free kick from medium distance. The free kick was headed toward Hesmer's back post, but rebounded back into play into a scrum of players in front of goal. With Hesmer on the ground (having tried to push the earlier ball past his post), Eduardo Lillingston just beat Chad Marshall to the ball, while Danny O'Rourke standing on the goal line couldn't block the shot.

Minutes later, the challenge facing the Crew went from significant to daunting. Andy Iro was given a straight red card for a tackle on Carey Talley. Iro's lunging tackle missed the ball completely, landing his cleats squarely on Talley's shin. With 35 minutes to play, then, the Crew found themselves down a goal and down a man.

Even from that disadvantage, however, the Crew still almost levelled the match in the 66th minute. Some good buildup from the right flank produced a cross across the box to a criminally unmarked Schelotto. With time to set his feet and pick his shot, Guille headed back to the far post, fooling Thornton - but ultimately his aim was a few inhces off and the shot went wide.

Moments later, both teams started making changes, as Duncan Oughton relieved Robbie Rogers for Columbus, while Stepanovic came on for Mayen on the Chivas bench.

The substitutes gave the Crew a slight edge in terms of passion and effort, and the Crew enjoyed a brief renaissance for the next ten minutes. The best opportunity came in the 72nd minute, but Guillermo Barros Schelotto was unable to accurately place a free kick from close in, and the opportunity only produced a longer range shot (wide left) from Gino Padula.

Coach Robert Warzycha sent on Steven Lenhart with six minutes in regulation, and soon enough he had produced a quality chance. The poacher sent a ball towards the net, but Alejandro Moreno was beaten to the ball by Zach Thornton. The Crew had not given up hope for an equalizer, and were nearly rewarded moments later but their long range shot was well tracked and saved by Thornton.

After those plays, the Crew's energy level noticeably dropped through a combination of exhaustion and frustration with the referee's officiating. Chad Marshall received an inadvertent elbow from Atiba Harris, forcing him from the game holding his head, and the Crew players were reduced to rampant ballwatching to close the match.

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