MLS Update: CONCAF Champions league- Group B
Joe Public 1-4 Columbus Crew
Columbus Crew thumped Joe Public 4-1 away from home to finish their CONCAF champions’ league group face on a high. By doing so they have now qualified for the next phase of the competition along with Santos Laguna who are on top of group B with 13 points,
a point ahead of Crew.
The Trinidad club Joe Public leaves the competition with just one point out of 6 matches. The island side had no answer to the technical superiority of the MLS outfit and could easily have conceded 3 or more goals.
The games started sloppily as neither team stamped its authority or created any clear opportunity to break the deadlock. The first goal came in the 20th minute of the match after a good bit of possession, when Duncan Oughton fed Jason Grey who
whipped in a perfect cross for Andres Mendoza, who was left unmarked in the 6 yard box. The Mexican nodded an easy header towards the far post giving the goalkeeper no chance to make a save.
The pace of the game slowed down indicating that the visitors were happy with a one goal cushion. The islanders levelled the score when Crew defender Josh Williams, making only his 2nd appearance for the team, won the ball from Gregory and brought
him down. Inexplicably, the referee pointed to the spot. Replays showed that the American had won the ball fairly with Crew players screaming in protest. Trent Noel stepped up to take the penalty and converted it coolly to level the match.
Once again, the pace slowed down as the visitors seemed to be shell shocked by the leveller. The visitors kept on getting glorious opportunities but were not able to regain their lead. 2 minutes before the half, Oughtons’ long range shot skimmed the post
after an excellent pass from Dilly Duka.
The visitors started the half brightly and half time substitute Emilio Renteria created the 1st chance of the 2nd period. The Venezuelan’s shot in the 47th minute was blocked and from the resulting corner, Crew regained the
lead as Josh Williams’ header was blocked by the outstretched hand of his marker and the referee pointed at the spot for the 2nd time. Renteria stepped up and scored as his bullet of a shot made a whole in the bottom of the net. The Crew’s back
line was exposed two times but the tame efforts of skipper Noel and winger Hayden Tinto were no trouble for goalkeeper Andy Greuebaum who had a quiet night in goal.
Finally, Crew put the matter to rest as some sloppy defending and poor ball control allowed Renteria to latch onto the ball and score the 3rd goal for his side in the 73rd minute. In stoppage time, Crew added a fourth goal to seal a
comfortable win when Renteria bullied his way into the defence. Instead of driving in front of goal, beautifully back-heeled Oughton, who coolly slotted the ball in the back of the net and his goal was met by loud cheers from the bench clearly ringing though
the stadium that was low on crowd attendance.
The goal was going to be the last action of the night as the referee blew the final whistle. The news was not totally positive as the team soon found out that the New York Red Bulls had clichéd the Eastern Conference title by beating New England. Revolution
making Columbus Crews’ last game of the regular MLS season against Philadelphia Union was a warm up contest, as they wait till the weekend to find out who they are going to face in the playoffs.
Man of the Match
Emilio Renteria was just breathtaking since his introduction into the second half. The diminutive Venezuelan was having a superb match and his 2 goals and one assist proved his ever growing importance for the team. If Columbus Crew aspires to reach the finals,
Renteria’s presence would be very important.
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