The playoffs may have passed Columbus by this season, but the Crew's 4-1 thrashing of the Fire at Toyota Park last night offered a glimpse of why Columbus could be contenders in 2007.
Ravaged by injuries all year long, including the losses of keeper Jon Busch and defender Frankie Hejduk for extended periods, head coach Sigi Schmid was forced to improvise by adding yet more youth to an already raw roster. The results have been less than staggering. The Crew have scored just 30 goals all season, worst in MLS. What's more, they have surrendered 41 goals in 31 games, good enough for second worst in the Eastern Conference. Most importantly, their 8-14-9 record is the worst in the league.
But Saturday night's performance gave the Ohians a reason for optimism despite despite an inaucspicious start in which Chris Armas drew the ball back across the Columbus goal mouth for Chris Rolfe to put the Fire up one nil just four minutes in. A little more than twenty minutes later, one of the Crew's young guns asserted himself as Eddie Gaven collected the ball a few steps from the goal line and powered the equalizer into the back of the net.
Just before intermission, Joseph Ngwenya, who was acquired over the summer, sent a curling ball into the six that Jason Garey - you guessed it, a rookie - got on the end of to give the visitors a 2-1 lead. In the second half, the 22 year-old Ricardo Virtuoso lived up to his last name, carrying the ball to the top of the box before firing it low and into the far corner. 3-1 to the under-25s. Ngwenya put the finishing touches on the victory in the 82nd minute with a tap in off a Virtuoso cross.
It was a total victory for the Crew who made one of the hottest teams in the league look silly on their home pitch. And for Sigi Schmid, who just weeks ago was in the middle of a firestorm surrounding his possible resignation, it was a well-deserved reward for his patience with such a young club.
That patience could have the Crew contening for home-field advantage in the playoffs come 2007.
