Columbus Crew SC emphatically secured the number 2 seed in the Eastern Conference with a comprehensive 5-0 victory over D.C. United.
Crew SC has now guaranteed their away game for next Sunday with their opponents being decided in the midweek knockout round and will be back home on the 8th of November. Crew SC came into the game with star players Kei Kamara and Federico Higuain both suspended, but their replacements Jack McInerney and Mohammed Saeid proved more than adequate with standout performances in the rout.
McInerney started the game with an energy that was driving Columbus forward and could have had a couple of goals in the first 20 minutes, but for solid keeping from Bill Hamid in the D.C. goal. He did finally get on the score sheet on 25 minutes thanks to a defense-splitting pass from Saeid. He took a confident first touch and dispatched a shot from 20 yards into the far corner leaving Hamid with no chance. Columbus started to slow down as the half went on and the loss of the influential Saeid to a hamstring injury had an effect on Crews SC’s attacking fluency. D.C. United had a couple of chances before the half, but were unable to find the quality to beat Steve Clark.
As the second half begin D.C. United were struggling to find any attacking rhythm to and on 54 minutes Justin Meram put the game to bed and ignited the playoff party in the stands. He colleced a high pass from Michael Parkhust and ran in from the left to beat D.C. United. The visitors seemed to lose heart and Columbus showed no mercy as Finley added a third and a fourth goal.
First McInerney breaks through a high D.C. United defensive line and unselfishly squares for Finlay to dispatch into an empty net. Then on 67 minutes, Finley turns United fullback Taylor Kemp inside out and finished neatly into the bottom left of the goal. Aaron Schoenfeld added the 5th goal late, beating a static D.C. defense to apply the finish from a left field cross.
Tonight’s showing may leave Kamara and Higuain will be wondering if they will be getting back in the team for the postseason. McInerney’s impressive performance delighted Gregg Berhalter heading into the playoffs, knowing that he has a confident player with energy who could change a game if needed.
