Columbus Crew SC Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter called Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with NYCFC an “odd game,” which actually contained many familiar elements for Crew SC.
The first of which came with the opening goal in the 24th minute, when Ethan Finlay broke behind the NYCFC back line, and crossed the ball to Kei Kamara, who slid in and put the ball away in the back corner. That was good for Kamara’s 18th goal of the season, good for second-most in Columbus Crew SC single season history, tied with Stern John. The assist was Finlay’s 13th.
Crew SC would take this lead into halftime, but soon after the break, with rain falling, NYCFC would answer. David Villa would be on the receiving end of a Andrea Pirlo pass which threaded the Crew SC midfield, then the World Cup champion Villa placed a ball to Kwadwo Poku who got behind the Columbus backline and placed the ball past Clark on the one-on-one and the former NPSL star evened the game at 1 in the 57th minute.
Poku and NYCFC would strike again, this time off of a corner kick. Pirlo sent in a cross which was deflected out by Andrew Jacobson and found the boot of Poku who promptly fired it in from the top of the box. The Ghanaian forward/midfielder put NYCFC on top 2-1 in the 57th.
After the match, Berharlter referred to Poku as “one of the best players in the MLS.”
The 23-year old responded by saying, “It’s always been my dream to be one of the best players in the world, I just need to keep working hard, get on the field and show what I can do.”
Despite the 2-1 lead for NYCFC, Crew SC would continue to push, and in the 72nd minute they would find their equalizer. Cedrick Mabwati made a run after a Wil Trapp pass, and the former Real Betis winger pushed a pass into the box which Kamara was able to corral. Kamara then gave it back to Mabwati and the give-and-go action left Mabwati all alone with goalie Josh Saunders and the newcomer tallied his first goal for Crew SC, but perhaps more significantly, evened the game at 2.
Mabwati’s goal came just in the knick of time as the game was then delayed in the 77th minute. After a lengthy delay, another familiar event in Columbus this season, the game resumed with about fifteen minutes to go. The return to play was fortunate as MLS rules state a game can be abandoned and the result will be taken from the delay if the delay happens after the 76th minute. The clock read 76:14.
Despite both teams getting a chance to pull ahead and steal a win, neither could capitalize and the game ended with the 2-2 score they took into the delay.
Columbus Crew SC is back in action at home on Saturday against Sporting Kansas City, while NYCFC has a match up with another star-studded team in LA Galaxy on Sunday in Los Angeles.
