COLUMBUS, Ohio – Saturday’s 2-1 victory over previously-unbeaten Toronto FC meant more to Columbus Crew SC than another three points at home.
Columbus' fourth win of the season – already half of their total from all of last season – marked the return of the confidence that Gregg Berhalter’s group had two seasons ago when they reached the MLS Cup Final and so sorely missed in 2016.
“A year ago, we probably tie that game or even lose that game,” said club captain Wil Trapp. “The mental toughness and the belief in the group to grind games out is significantly better, and it’s showing.”
Thanks to a 21st minute goal from Jozy Altidore, Columbus found themselves dominated and down a goal early in the match. But the Crew regrouped and reorganized on the fly, scoring two goals to close out the half and holding Toronto scoreless for the final 79 minutes to secure the win.
The result showed Berhalter exactly what he wanted to see, and what he didn't see in 2016.
“I don’t think we responded [well] to much at all last year, to be honest,” he said. “It was these types of games, it was other types of games. We struggled to find our way consistently last year, and we never really got that momentum – that belief late in the game that we’re going to be OK, we’re going to be fine.”
That belief has returned, or a “maturity level” as midfielder Justin Meram called it. And with the return of confidence has come the club’s best start under Berhalter, which Trapp hopes will benefit them over the long season.
“We’ve never had it where we can make up the points early in the year,” he said. “I feel like every year we’re at the end of the season needing to win five of eight or something like that. And these games, if you can snag points, it’s massively important. So it’s a little different for many of us…but it’s a good feeling.”
Still, Berhalter knows the good times won’t last forever, and hopes his team responds the way they did on Saturday throughout 2017.
“There are going to be times in the season when it doesn’t go our way, and we’ve been working on how we respond to that,” he said. “There are going to be [those] times in games, there’s going to be those times in the season. But will we be a different team? That’s the question.
"The answer is no. It’s all what’s between your ears.”
