A Josh Williams goal off a set-piece header proved the difference between two Eastern Conference foes in Week 6 as Columbus Crew SC eked out a narrow 1-0 win over visiting New England.
But Revolution head coach Brad Friedel had a different opinion on the 42nd minute goal (video above) that dealt his club its fourth loss in six matches to start 2019.
“First I think Teal Bunbury got fouled and the ref let it play on," Friedel said about the instances before the decisive set piece was awarded. "And the free kick is offside ... I don’t understand how you can’t see [Josh Williams] is a shoulder offside.”
Friedel, an Ohio native who played for Columbus in 1996 and 1997, wasn't about to let that goal and subsequent loss take away from his team's performance.
“I thought the effort of the players was outstanding tonight. I think we bossed the game from start to finish," Friedel said. "[Crew SC] couldn’t find a solution to playing out of the back against us … I thought Carles [Gil] and Scotty [Caldwell] outworked Wil Trapp and Artur for all the second balls, and I really think we threw them off. And the game was there to see. We did not deserve to lose.”
Crew head coach Caleb Porter lauded Friedel and his staff, noting that the visitors were "up for it mentally" and that they "might've been the most athletic team I've ever played." But in the end, he felt that the Crew "wore them down in the second half."
"We showed how hungry we are," Porter said. "These guys want to win. And there’s an element of fight today in the game and we were up for that fight ... We’re not going to back down in a game like this. If we have to fight, we’ll fight, too, because at the end of the day we’ve got to get three points.”
And while Crew SC (4W-1L-1D) now lead the Eastern Conference with 13 points, New England (1W-4L-1D, 4pts) are targeting a full haul from the next three matches which will come at the friendly confines of Gillette Stadium.
“We’ve got to win all these games," right back Andrew Farrell said. "We have to get maximum points especially when you’re not winning games on the road, you have to win at home.”
