Behind a pair of goals from Alejandro Moreno, the Columbus Crew put a quick end to their long scoreless streak then strolled to victory against the Kansas City Wizards, disappointing a sellout crowd at CommunityAmerica Ballpark with a dominating 3-0 victory Saturday night.
The Crew grabbed an early lead with a Chad Marshall header in the third minute. Guillermo Barros Schelotto put in a well-placed corner kick and Marshall rose up in the center of the penalty area to head home inside Kevin Hartman's left-hand post. It was the Crew's first goal since a May 10 win at San Jose, a stretch of 370 scoreless minutes.
The Crew doubled their lead in just the 20th minute, as Moreno scored against the grain. Defender Danny O'Rourke sent a ball from the right flank that Moreno tracked down; while moving to this left, the Venezuelan let go with his shot that crossed diagonally into the goal as Hartman came racing off his line to try and cut down the angle.
Coming in riding a five-game winless streak, the Wizards looked out of sync offensively. Carlos Marinelli forced Columbus goalkeeper Will Hesmer quickly to his right in the 39th minute with a shot from 16 yards, but little else was generated from the Wizards attack as the visitors continued to gain the lion's share of the ball and the dangerous opportunities throughout the remaining 25 minutes of the first half.
The rout was nearly on for the Crew in the dying minutes of the half though as Schelotto was freed on the left. The Argentinean bore down on Hartman's goal with two defenders chasing. His shot forced Hartman to push the ball around the near post for a resulting innocuous corner.
But the Wizards weren't ready to fold as O'Rourke earned a yellow for a tackle on Marinelli on the left side some 35 yards from net. Marinelli's ensuing free kick found Jewsbury in the box, but his attempt flashed wide of the far post.
After Kansas City began the second half with a quick chance in the 46th minute by way of a Claudio Lopez header, the Crew again nearly added to their lead. Hartman was beat with a chip off his left post, but center back Jimmy Conrad hustled back to save further damage by clearing the ball just in front of the goal line.
Later, the Crew forced a series of saves from Hartman at his left post with a header by Schelotto from the middle of the box at eight yards followed by two Robbie Rogers point-blank shots -- the first saved by Hartman and the second over the bar off the rebound.
The Crew put the match away in the 66th minute with Moreno's second goal. Moreno pounced on a deflected pass made by Schelotto, and hammered a low drive into the net inside the near post from the left side of the area, though in truth Hartman had little chance of making a save.
The Wizards had one final opportunity. Substitute Ryan Pore took down a Lopez cross inside the right corner of the Crew box in the 80th minute, whirled and struck a ball that Hesmer stretched to his left to knock down and soon gain control.
But it was a wire-to-wire win for the Crew, as they ended their three-game losing run. They remain on the road next weekend when they travel to face the Los Angeles Galaxy. The Wizards now go right back on the road, heading to face Toronto FC for the second time this season.
Thomas Foote is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
