This is why you can't count out any team in this league -- not even one that came into the match at the bottom of the Eastern Conference table.
Ola Kamara scored a brace and Ethan Finlay had a goal and two assists, leading Columbus Crew SC to a 4-1 away rout of Orlando City SC on Saturday night and denying the Lions a chance to move into the East playoff picture.
Columbus moved out of the bottom spot in the East with the victory, two points ahead of Chicago. Orlando City, who would have moved above the red line with a victory, stayed on 34 points and dropped one spot to eighth place as New England leapfrogged from eighth to sixth with a 3-1 victory over Montreal.
Box Score
- 6' - CLB - Ethan Finlay (Ola Kamara, Justin Meram)
- 22' - CLB - Seb Hines (OG)
- 44 - CLB - Ola Kamara (Ethan Finlay, Nicolai Naess)
- 79' - ORL - Cyle Larin (Servando Carrasco)
- 90+5' ORL - Ola Kamara (Ethan Finlay)
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Three Things
- GUT PUNCHES: Orlando City were in a 3-0 hole at the half largely because of an inability to handle long through balls out of the midfield. Two of Columbus' goals in the first 45 came on plays right up the middle, the first started by Justin Meram and the second by Nicolai Naess. Both balls found Ethan Finlay and Ola Kamara in mismatch situations up top, and each recorded a goal and an assist before the break.
- BACK TO BACK: The Lions have now conceded four goals in each of their last two matches, starting with Sunday's 4-2 away defeat to the Los Angeles Galaxy. On the flip side, the Crew have seen own goals in each of their two most recent outings – but this time, Orlando defender Seb Hines' header into his own net helped Columbus. In their last match, a 3-1 home loss to Vancouver, the Whitecaps' first goal came off Crew defender Gaston Sauro.
- BIG RETURN: If you had Kamara in your MLS Fantasy Soccer Manager lineup, congratulations. Not only did the Norwegian international deliver his 12th and 13th goal of the season in the Crew's victory, he also recorded an assist – just his second of the year. Kamara continues to be one of the league's top newcomers, with his 13 goals coming in only 21 appearances with 16 starts.
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