The Columbus Crew remain the hottest team in Major League Soccer. Getting two first-half goals from Adam Moffat and Robbie Rogers, the Crew held on for a 2-1 win against the Kansas City Wizards and remainded undefeated at home for the season.
Columbus moved their record to 5-1-0 on the year, giving them 15 points already and sole possession of first place in both the Eastern Conference and all of MLS.
"We have one win less at home than all of last year," said coach Sigi Schmid after the match, "and we still have 11 games left at home. So I think we'll pass last year, and I feel pretty confident in that prediction."
Schmid has made very few changes to the lineup that has proved successful for the Crew this season. The only difference Saturday was the absence of defender Gino Padula with veteran defender Ezra Hendrickson taking his spot on the backline.
"My number got called and I was ready," said the lanky defender of his first start of the year. "I've been actually waiting to play."
The Crew got off to an early start against the Wizards when they converted on a set piece in only the fourth minute. Guillermo Barros Schelotto tallied his fourth assist on the play (tied for the MLS lead with the LA Galaxy's David Beckham) when he lofted a free kick to the back post. Chad Marshall headed the ball back across the goal and Moffat was able to get enough of a head on the ball to knock it in for the opener.
"We've talked a lot in the last few weeks about getting goals off of set pieces," said Schmid. After not scoring from a deadball situation in their first four games, his squad now has now converted at least one in each of their last two games.
Columbus seemed to own the ball in the first half, barely allowing Kansas City to mount any semblance of an attack. After 45 minutes the Wizards had not placed one shot on target, barely troubling Crew 'keeper Will Hesmer.
On the other hand, Columbus was feeling good in the locker room at the half after Rogers netted the team's second goal of the game late in the half. Alejandro Moreno played an early ball down the left flank and Rogers simply outraced Wizards defender Chance Myers and 'keeper Kevin Hartman to reach the ball first and poke it home.
"It feels good," said Rogers of his third goal of the season, "but it feels good to win and I'm more happy about that."
If the first half belonged to the Crew then the second half easily went to the Wizards. After Roger Espinosa was sent off for violent conduct late in the first half, the field seemed to open up for Kansas City, but they could not put one on the scoreboard until the 79th minute.
"We came out in the second half and gave them way too much space," said Hesmer. "If you are going to play a zone and not mark a man, then I don't care if you are playing against eight guys, they are going to pick you off."
The Wizards goal came off a penalty kick after defender Danny O'Rourke pulled down Scott Sealy just inside the penalty area. Claudio Lopez slotted the ball to Hesmer's left for the goal. It was the third time this season that O'Rourke was whistled for a foul in the box, but Hesmer bailed him out with saves on the two previous occasions.
"That was way too little contact for Sealy to go down," said Hesmer. "I don't want to say anything to get in trouble, but I don't blame Danny [O'Rourke] for that one."
The Crew are finding out firsthand how good it feels to be in first place, and it is a feeling that their coach hopes they are going to get used to.
"Winning is a good feeling and it is a feeling that you want to bring back every week," Schmid said. "The way you sustain it is you want to have that feeling at the end of each week."
The Crew now will try to ride the momentum into San Jose, where they face the expansion Earthquakes next weekend, hoping to improve on their 1-1 road record for the year.
Nathan Linton is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
