Columbus Crew SC fell short against the Montreal Impact 2-1 on a mild Saturday night at MAPFRE Stadium, marking the second home loss and fifth straight game without a win for Crew SC.
Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter took full responsibility for the loss after the game.
“We lacked organization and the ability to move the ball quickly.”
Crew SC would control most of the action in the first 20 minutes, including three chances from new father Kei Kamara, who welcomed his daughter Saturday morning.
Kamara would have a couple headers sail wide before getting a chance at a volley from a cross from Ethan Finlay, as Kamara attempted a roundhouse-esque kick which screamed just wide of the net and diving Impact goalkeeper Evan Bush.
Bush, a former University of Akron goalkeeper, shined in just his 24th MLS appearance, recording three saves including one on a Waylon Francis header attempt where Bush went airborne and was barely able to tip the shot over the crossbar. This save kept the game even at halftime at 0-0.
After the break, there was a clear change in the action, as the Impact made all of the moves and controlled the pace of play.
“The whole second half was not us,” Berhalter said. “It was a lack of respect for our game.”
The opening goal came in the 55th, when Steve Clark stopped an original attempt by a sliding Jack McInerney, challenged by Crew SC’s Tyson Wahl, but Montreal’s Maxim Tissot put away the rebound with ease for his first goal of the season.
The Impact did not stop pressing after the goal however, as Clark needed two desperate, diving stops to keep Columbus within one. Clark again turned away a McInerey header and then denied another Tissot rebound attempt with a lunging save, a shot which would have been waived due to an offsides flag.
Crew SC was on the offensive after the Impact score, earning three corners within three minutes of Montreal’s goal and were awarded a free-kick just outside of Montreal’s box. After some pushing and shoving and a yellow card given to Montreal’s Marco Donadel, Crew SC’s Federico Higuain sent a ball on the ground, underneath the jumping Impact wall.
Columbus’ ensuing corner kick from Mohammed Saeid connected with Kei Kamara, but once again, Kamara’s header fell wide of the goal, and Kamara was visibly and audibly frustrated.
The frustration likely continued for the new father, who had undone his hair from the neat ponytail it was in the first half, as the visitors responded to the aggressive play of Crew SC with a counter involving Argentines Ignacio Piatti and Andres Romero, with Piatti dishing it out to Romero who sent a shot over a flailing Clark and sliding Francis after a couple of clean dribbles to make the score 2-0 at the 83rd minute.
Columbus continued to press, and Kamara had a header tipped away from Bush, who once again went full extension to stop the attempt that might have been high regardless.
Come stoppage time, Crew SC would get on the board after a three-quarters pitch through ball from Tyson Wahl, which deflected of an Impact defender and right to the ready feet of Higuain, who pocketed a shot in the bottom left, giving the 12,000-plus fans a chance to cheer.
Crew SC would get one more chance on a Kamara header but it was well wide of the goal, and the comeback attempt fell short as the Impact’s counterattack proved costly as the game would end with a 2-1 defeat for the home team.
After the final whistle, Crew SC captain Michael Parkhurst said: “We all need to step our games up, collectively and individually. The effort has to be better, the tactics, the technical aspect, everything has to be better from all of us.”
Berhalter’s final thoughts on the game were simple: “It wasn’t good enough.”
Montreal is on the road again, taking on New York City FC on Saturday, and Crew SC continues their homestand, the facing LA Galaxy at MAPFRE on Saturday as well.
