The Columbus Crew continued their recent resurgence and kept the New York Red Bulls reeling, getting a second-half goal from Kei Kamara for a 1-0 victory Saturday night at Crew Stadium.
Kamara's 69th-minute goal was the only one the Crew needed for their third consecutive win (after one win in their first 11 games this season), while the Red Bulls are now winless in their last three games, and have lost three of their last five contests after losing just once in their opening eight games on the year.
The stage seemed set for a wild attacking spectacle, with the Crew having scored eight goals in their last three games (a draw followed by two wins), and the Red Bulls having allowed 11 goals in their last four games.
In addition, the Red Bulls were led by Juan Pablo Angel, whose nine goals in seven games put him atop the Budweiser Golden Boot standings along with Kansas City's Eddie Johnson. With a goal in Saturday's game, Angel would tie the MLS record for consecutive games with at least one goal at seven, a streak that started May 19 against the Crew.
The Red Bulls hadn't played in two weeks, and in the interim, the Red Bulls had let go four defenders, clearly a statement by New York head coach Bruce Arena and the Red Bulls front office.
Kevin Goldthwaite, who started nine games in defense for Toronto FC this year, made his first start in a Red Bulls jersey in the newly shuffled New York defense against the Crew. He spent much the first half matched up against Jacob Thomas of the Crew, who was making his regular season debut for the year after recovering from a calf injury.
Early in the match Thomas was able to find space down on the right wing for Columbus, and created a few early opportunities for the Crew, including a nice run past Goldthwaite in the 27th minute. But Thomas sent his shot over the crossbar.
Angel and the Red Bulls attack did not start the game looking like the same unstoppable force that New York fans are growing accustomed to. Angel was not a factor in much of the early play and did not record a shot until the 33rd minute, and even then it was a deflected ball that bounced harmlessly to Crew goalkeeper Will Hesmer.
The pace quickened in the 37th minute with New York on the attack. After a nice passing sequence Dave van den Bergh had an open look at the goal but sent his shot wide right. The Crew countered, again with Thomas down the right wing, and this time he was able to pick out Alejandro Moreno at the near post. Moreno was barely able to get off a glancing header as he was tightly defended by Carlos Mendes, and the shot trickled wide.
The half ended in a flurry of activity by the Crew. Ned Grabavoy nearly put the Crew ahead in the final minute of the half as he collected a bouncing ball in the box but his shot trickled wide of goal. At the half, the Crew were dominating the Red Bulls in most statistics, including shots (10-4), shots on goal (3-0) and corner kicks (6-0).
As the second half opened the Crew were still able to get the better of the early chances at goal. Grabavoy was denied two assists early in the half, first when he played the ball into space in front of Kamara down the left wing. The lanky striker from Sierra Leone was able to get his left foot to the ball just as Hunter Freeman was closing in on him, but the strike curled just left of the post.
Three minutes later Grabavoy sent a corner kick to the head of Chad Marshall, but his header missed the same post, again by inches.
In the 67th minute Crew coach Sigi Schmid pulled off Thomas and inserted Andy Herron, who has been a catalyst in attack for Columbus all season. Herron was an instant factor, and only two minutes later he served up a perfect ball to open the scoring.
Herron was left alone on the right wing and sent in a glorious cross. Kamara rose above Hunter Freeman beyond the back post and knocked home a textbook header, low and hard and into the back corner of the net.
Herron nearly gave the Crew a two-goal lead five minutes later. With the freshest legs on the field at the time, Herron used his speed to sneak behind the Red Bulls defense and beat the offside trap. The fans in the stands rose to their feet as another goal seemed imminent, but some brilliant defending by Mendes quelled the attack as he raced back and shielded Herron from the ball, allowing New York 'keeper Ronald Waterreus to come off his line to gobble it up.
The Red Bulls weren't able to find an equalizer, and Hesmer's first shutout in a Crew uniform meant that Angel's bid for MLS history came to an end as his scoring streak was snapped. But more importantly for Columbus, the result meant they are mounting a streak of their own: a winning streak.
Nathan Linton is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
