It wasn't officially Turn Back the Clock Night in a raucous Crew Stadium but the Columbus Crew and Kansas City Wizards put on an offensive outburst in the first half that harkened to the inaugural year of MLS in another nationally televised Thursday night match.
Josh Wolff's second-half equalizer gave the Wizards a share of a wild 3-3 draw, but was the only goal after the break following a first-half blitz.
On May 2, 1996, the then-Wiz and Crew combined for 10 goals, including eight in a 40-minute segment of the second half. What was a 1-1 match in Arrowhead Stadium at halftime turned into a 6-4 Kansas City win in a game that was tape-delayed on ESPN. It still ranks as the second-highest scoring match in league history.
The network did it live this time on MLS Primetime Thursday and the viewers were treated to five goals in 16 minutes as the home side went up 3-2 by intermission, answering two goals that came in three minutes.
The Wizards, who had the league's second-worst offense with 14 goals in 15 games, struck first on an own goal by Crew defender Frankie Hejduk followed by a redirect from Roger Espinoza, who was (this time) making a happy homecoming. Guillermo Barros Schelotto, the top assist man in MLS, led the Crew comeback with a sizzling free kick on the first goal, a set-up of Alejandro Moreno on the second and perfect corner kick to Chad Marshall for the go-ahead tally in the see-saw match.
The first half initially brought back bad memories for the Crew and their supporters. When the low-scoring Wizards stunned Columbus with goals in the 22nd and 24th minute it was similar to the previous home match when Chicago struck for a 2-0 lead by minute 25. The Crew rallied for a 2-2 draw.
On the opening score the Wizards took advantage of a poor clearance off a restart. Morsink was on the right wing and sent a service to the middle of the box. Although teammate Sasha Victorine was sandwiched between Hejduk and Danny O'Rourke, Hejduk tried a clearance with his head but ended up putting the ball into the goal over Crew goalkeeper Will Hesmer.
The Wizards scored again two minutes later on Jewsbury's grounder to a cutting Espinoza from eight yards. He got his left foot on the pass and put it first-time inside the near post for his first goal. For Espinoza, it was his second game in Columbus, where he went to college at Ohio State. In his first, May 3, he was sent off after just 36 minutes.
Columbus was reeling but as it did against the Fire, found another gear thanks to Schelotto, who made full use of the term free kick. After being fouled by Morsink, Schelotto lined up for the restart from 25 yards on the left side as the Wizards' wall tried to get settled. The referee's whistle blew and several K.C. players were caught still looking at keeper Kevin Hartman for instructions when Schelotto laced the ball over the top and inside the near post in the 26th minute.
It was his fourth goal but first that was not from the penalty spot.
Life was restored in the stands and the fans erupted again in the 33rd when Schelotto took a ball in full stride from Robbie Rogers and dribbled into the left side of the area. He found Moreno on a near-post run. Moreno was tackled as he got a foot on the ball but still managed to get off a shot. Hartman dove and got to the ball, though it might have already crossed the line. Regardless, Hartman pushed it right back to Moreno, who made sure it got over the second time.
It wasn't all offense in the opening 45 minutes. Hesmer made a key stop on a Victorine in the 36th minute and the Crew assumed the lead in two minutes as Marshall scored his second of the season -- the first was in a 3-0 win at Kansas City on June 14 -- on a diving header from six yards.
The trip down memory lane continued in the second half as the Wizards' newest, but certainly not unfamiliar, player made a triumphant return. Wolff came on after the break and scored his first MLS goal since 2005 in the 76th minute.
Wolff signed a four-year deal with the Wizards after spending the past two seasons in Germany, where he scored two goals in 34 games for 1860 Munich. The U.S. international had 27 goals for Kansas City from 2003-06, including 10 each in the 2004 and '05 seasons.
He had trained with the Wizards for two weeks and showed some rustiness on his first shot but he was in fine form on the goal. The play started with a pass from Kurt Morsink that snuck past the Crew defense to Jack Jewsbury on the right. As he moved into the penalty area he spotted Wolff in front of the goal, and Wolff tapped it home with his left foot.
After allowing the equalizer, the Crew had several opportunities for the winner in the waning moments. Rookie sub Steven Lenhart, who has two late tying goals, battled with All-Star defender Jimmy Conrad in the 86th minute, won the ball and knocked it home, only to be called for a foul.
The Crew also had two corners in stoppage time but could not get a shot on goal to end the match with a whimper after a sizzling start.
Craig Merz is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
