The Columbus Crew are quickly becoming the comeback kids of the Eastern Conference in Major League Soccer, but were unable to complete their comeback Saturday against English Premier League side Aston Villa, losing 3-1.
Aston Villa scored twice in the first half before allowing a Crew goal midway through the second half. The Crew then launched an all-out assault on the Villa goal, but it was the Villans that netted a goal in stoppage time to close out the victory.
Ashley Young and Gareth Barry netted the first-half goals for Villa while Jason Garey, who came on as a halftime substitute, scored the lone Crew goal. Luke Moore of Aston Villa scored the goal in injury time, and is enjoying great success in North America after scoring four goals in Villa's two-game stop on this side of the pond.
Villa is a team that has been touted as contenders to qualify for European play over the upcoming season, and they showed their worth from the start. Villa dominated the midfield play early in the game, and only seemed to ease their foot off the gas slightly after they had taken a two-goal lead.
"It's definitely a different level. Those guys are legit," said Crew goal-scorer Jason Garey. "A lot of them have more experience than our guys, but playing in the Premier League with that level of competition every day just makes them that much better."
Crew coach Sigi Schmid seemed to agree, but viewed the situation in a more "dollars and cents" manner.
"At the end of the day the competition is greater overseas because the compensation is much larger so guys are a little more committed to it," said Schmid. "That is the one thing that we cannot replicate here, but we're getting closer to it."
After the game both coaches dismissed the idea that the contest should be used as a measurement of status or progress for the either the teams or leagues represented.
"They are in preseason and they are trying to accomplish certain things," said Schmid. "We're coming off four or five days off. We're obviously going to rest our players before this game and not before Toronto or Chicago, to accomplish what we are trying to do."
Columbus did not even dress captain and U.S. national team member Frankie Hejduk, opting to give the high-energy defender a much deserved rest. While many players on both teams started in familiar positions, both coaches made the most of the unlimited substitutions and seemed to give the game the feel of a very high profile dress-rehearsal. Still, Aston Villa coach Martin O'Neill thought the Crew had a decent showing.
"Give the Crew credit," said O'Neill after the game. "At times we were stretched, really stretched in the second half. While I'm not displeased, we clearly have some work to do."
Aston Villa supporters are expecting big things from their club this year, and the Barclay's English Premier League is always one of the most competitive leagues in the world. It was quite evident with the entourage of press and supporters that traveled so far with their team just to see a few preseason tune-up games that the phrase "in another league" was fitting in more than one way.
"We watch these guys on TV all the time and it is a great honor to get to play against them," said Garey.
Nathan Linton is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
