Columbus Crew ease to 3-0 win over Orlando City Soccer
Columbus Crew eased to a 3-0 win over Orlando City Soccer in front of 15,655 fans at MAPFRE Stadium, Columbus tonight.
The game started well for the Crew as they controlled the opening stages of the game. Orlando started to come back into it around the tenth minute when some exerted pressure saw the Lions create several openings and four corners in the process.
The game all changed in the 32nd minute as an innocuous ball into the Orlando box found the Lions right back Rafael Ramos around his own penalty spot. For some inconceivable reason the young Portuguese defender, who had had a fine game unto that point, chose to softly play the ball out to the left wing where Columbus right winger Ethan Finlay eagerly stepped up to lay it across for Federico Higuaín to flick in.
It was an expensive mistake but worse was to come as two minutes later, Ramos, still visibly suffering from the effects of his mistake, lunged in with an over zealous challenge on Waylon Francis and was rightly rewarded with a straight red card. It was a defining moment in the match as the ten men of Orlando were then forced to play the remaining 60 minutes of the match against a strong and powerful Columbus team.
After the red card set back, Orlando continued to strive for an equalizer and looked dangerous in creating a couple of half chances. On 40 minutes Brek Shea made a delicious cross that Kevin Molino met with his head only to see it deflect off a Crew defender for a corner that the referee somehow missed.
Going into injury time in the first half one further chance was to come as the impressive Kaká slipped a neat pass through to Molino. The Trinidad International hit a first time shot that caught Columbus keeper Steve Clark’s right leg to prevent a certain goal.
Half Time : Columbus 1 Orlando 0
The second half started much like the first and it was City keeper Donovan Ricketts who was the busiest. Two minutes after the restart he was called into action to deny a Justin Meram effort from approximately 25 yards and a minute later Higuaín also fired a shot from equal distance that the Orlando keeper easily dealt with.
Orlando fought back though, as Molino offered a constant threat as he drew a foul on the edge of the box in the 53rd minute. Shea stepped up to hit the free kick but his effort went just over the bar much to the relief of Clark in the Columbus net.
Columbus were not to be denied though and they went further ahead in the 55th minute as Cristian Higuita dithered on the ball in his own area. Kei Kamara robbed the young Colombian and released Meram who made no mistake with a powerful finish into the roof of the net.
Five minutes later, Orlando were again caught napping as Kamara made it 3-0 when he found himself free with just Ricketts to beat. A neat chipped finish did the job and it was game, set, match as it seemed Columbus might go on to get even more goals with a third of the match still remaining.
Orlando then made their second substitution on 61 minutes as Eric Avila came on for Seb Hines as they tried to get back into the game. Crew made their own substitution three minutes later as Chris Klute came on for Francis and he had a hand in crossing the ball in the 75th minute for Kamara to turn home. Fortunately for Orlando, the goal was scrubbed off as Kamara was standing in an offside position.
Kamara was then denied another goal by a good double save from Ricketts in the 79th minute. Orlando showed a little sign of life late on as Darwin Cerén powered a shot from the edge of the area that Clark could only parry out. Aurélien Collin did his best to get onto the ball with it eventually falling to Amobi Okugo who slipped at the vital moment and the ball went out for a goal kick.
The game finished 3-0 and in truth, Orlando did extremely well to keep the scoreline respectable. Far too often they gave the ball away and two of those errors resulted in goals. It is something this young side must learn from as Major League Soccer is an unforgiving league.
The Lions face Toronto at the Orlando Citrus Bowl next. The game is scheduled for 26th April with a kick off time of 7.00pm.
Lineups/Substitutions:
Orlando City SC – GK Donovan Ricketts, D Brek Shea, Aurélien Collin, Seb Hines (Eric Avila 60’), Rafael Ramos, M Amobi Okugo, Darwin Cerén, Cristian Higuita, Kevin Molino, Kaká, F Cyle Larin (Tyler Turner 35’)
Columbus Crew SC – GK Steve Clark, D Hernan Grana, Michael Parkhurst, Emmanuel Pogafeta, Waylon Francis (Chris Klute 64’), M Ethan Finlay, Mohammed Saeid, Tony Tchani, Justin Meram (Kristinn Steindorsson 69’), Federico Higuain, F Kei Kamara
