Columbus Crew vs. Real Salt Lake: Match Report

By: James | August 23rd, 2008

Crew 3, RSL 0
Marshall(Schelotto) 15, Schelotto(PK) 25, Evans (Gaven, Schelotto) 55

There’s always something new to see at Crew Stadium. This week we sat to the right of the tunnel before the game and learned that there is such a thing as MLS groupies. I hadn’t considered that. It’s also an interesting vantage point for watching warm-ups and pre-game sideline traffic. There’s a lot more going on than I realized. As the game unfolded, we moved to the Nordecke for the first time. It also has its charms. In fact, my boy finally got to field a pass from the t-shirt cannon. After 3 years of no clear-soda love in our season seats, we get the shirt lobbed to us after 10 minutes with the Hooligans. Thanks t-shirt cannon!

There’s a lot to be happy with on the field. The Crew looked dangerous straight out of the gate with two corners, two direct kicks in the offensive end, and one goal all in the first 15 minutes.

RSL’s success this season is largely attributable to the artificial turf at Rice-Eccles Field, but they’ve made some progress building an interesting midfield. In moments and flashes they showed clever passing and strong cooperation, but those moments were rare, especially in the first half. With this loss they fall to 1-8-1 on the road. I just hope they get another road win against New England on October 4. The turf in Gillette Stadium might even things up. Go Xangos! Channel the power of the mangosteen to destroy Taylor Twellman.

RSL’s game against the Crew didn’t leave me with much to say about them even though they controlled the last 25 minutes of the game. Again, I chalk that up to a bad decision by the Crew. At least they’re consistent. I long for the day William Hesmer plays short balls out of the box – on saves and goal kicks – that are directed TO SOMEONE. The Crew’s up 3-0 this week, 2-1 last week, and yet Hesmer is sending rockets way down field that are 50-50 balls at best. Please stop having him do this. In a game where the Crew field players showed an impressive knack accurate passing, what is there to gain from long ball? In this case, RSL got 10 of their 12 shots from this failed strategy. Please fix this Mssrs. Schmid and Kirillov. The man could stop a bullet. His play is as Hesmerizing as a new stadium banner puts it, but the coaches need to consistently work for possession in the second half when the team’s ahead.

I hate to make that complaint when the first half showed excellent control of the ball, dominating possession, and more grace than an underage Chinese gymnast. Hesmer pitched short balls out to Padula, Hejduk, and O’Rourke and avoided any of the confusion and miscommunication of last week. He even had the confidence to roll a ball across the open mouth of the goal to O’Rourke at one point. I swallowed my tongue for a second, but it worked out. The defensive effort in general looked strong. Hejduk and Padula came forward when they needed to but got quick and effective coverage from the midfield when they did so. Brad Evans was stronger on defense than he’d ever been able or commissioned to be in the past. Eddie Gaven and Robbie Rogers also contributed on defense. In the first half, the midfield pressured RSL as they mounted attacks, and the back line played the angles effectively without ever overcommitting to a tackle or run they might not make.

This game’s first half was the most clearheaded defensive performance in quite some time. Danny O’Rourke was solid in central defense. Chad Marshall was a rock. The midfield showed a commitment to the clean sheet. That’s in the first half anyway. In the late second half the defense played well, although they seemed fatigued. The lack of possession really put them on their heals and led to 9 second-half RSL corner kicks. This will turn ugly if not fixed.

Schelotto set up Marshall’s great header in the 15th minute from a direct kick perfectly directed to the back post. A few weeks ago Guille told Shawn Mitchell that on direct kicks into the box he aims for Chad. It seems like a winning strategy with Marshall getting more goals this season than ever before.

In the 25th minute Schelotto scored off of a penalty kick that was certainly earned when Nat Borchers took down Eddie Gaven as he reeled in a great through ball from Guillermo. Gaven crossed the ball that found Brad Evans at the back post in the 55th minute. Gaven missed a header early in the match that probably should have found the net, but he played pretty well all told. If he could put just one of the balls Guillermo is playing to him into the back of the net, I think it would make all the difference for him through the playoffs.

On Evans’s goal you can see Moreno making for the near post while Evans reaches the ball at the back post. Columbus seems to have gotten very consistent in getting in position to make its goals. I think that’s an example of the confidence the team has in one another – especially with Schelotto’s on-field leadership – that makes the Crew a strong contender to stay at the top of the table. That is, of course, if they can hold their improvements in possession all the way to stoppage time.