Columbus Crew SC squandered a three-goal lead on Saturday night to draw 4-4 with Montreal Impact and stay routed in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, continuing their indifferent start to the season. Losing a three-goal lead was only the side note. An on-field argument between Federico Higuain and Kei Kamara and the post-match interview that followed became the major talking points of the game.
With Columbus comfortably ahead 3-1 in the game they were awarded a penalty after Marco Donadel had tripped Justin Meram. Higuain had the ball in hand to take the penalty with Kamara seeming to protest that he should be the kicker to complete his hat trick. The standoff had to be eventually separated by Parkhurst with Higuain coming out the winner and confidently stroking home the kick.
Montreal started the game well and came close to opening the scoring on 15 minutes when had their first chance of the game. Ignacio Piatti picked up the ball in midfield and played a through ball to Harry Shipp, whose shot was saved by Steve Clark. As the ball fell free Piatti followed up, but Clark dived bravely at his feet to block the chance.
Crew SC responded immediately and their chance led to the opening goal. Meram was fed the ball down the left side and his cross was misjudged by Laurent Ciman, allowing the onrushing Kia Kamara to head home from five yards.
Montreal did not take long to get level on 26 minutes with some magic from Piatti. Didier Drogba found him with his back to goal in the box. He turned and curled the ball into the bottom corner past the despairing dive of Clark.
On the stroke of half time Columbus regained the lead thanks to some more shocking defending from Montreal. A hopeful punt forward was misjudged by Donadel, allowing Kamara through. Evan Bush missed the chance to clear, allowing Kamara to slide into an empty net.
The second half started at a frantic pace that included four goals in the space of ten minutes with Higuain bagging a brace. His first came after Trapp found the onrushing Harrison Afful, whose faint and shot was pushed away by Bush with Higuain reacting quickest to score.
At this point the game looked over, but infighting from Crew SC seemed to give Montreal a boost and they pulled back two goals in the space of a minute. The first came from the penalty spot on 57 minutes after a long ball found Piatti and as Michael Parkhurst was shepherding him away from goal Finlay came to help and stuck in a leg to give away the penalty, which Drogba dispatched with ease. The second came after Dominic Oduro drove into the box and cut the ball back to Piatti, who took a touch and dispatched the shot past Clark.
The drama was complete in the third minute of injury time as a long throw was flicked on by Drogba and found Oduro free to dispatch another past Clark. After the final whistle and with emotions high, Kamara gave a damning post-match interview, highlighting no relationship with his play-making partner.
