Many positives in scoreless draw with Crew
The season-opening matchup between the 2020 Supporters’ Shield winner and MLS Cup holder produced six cautions, 11 shots on target and plenty of intrigue and acrimony.
What the de facto super cup didn’t generate was a goal, though it did yield a point for the Philadelphia Union in Columbus with a 0-0 draw.
“We can play a lot better,” manager Jim Curtin said via Zoom. “We can be a lot sharper and more decisive with our buildups, with our passing in the final third. I thought we gave Columbus a lot of problems, outshot them, created better chances tonight but maybe just didn’t execute in front of goal. It’s natural in Week 1 of a season. There’s a lot of positives to take away, but it’s not often that you get a chance to steal a game here and a chance to get three points, and you feel a little empty in that regard.”
The emptiness is a consequence of the Union’s high level so early in the season. Even in the reigning champ’s house, they took the game to the Crew for large stretches. They owned 52 percent of possession and outshot the Crew, 15-12, though Columbus held a 6-5 edge on shots on target.
It’s another example of what served the Union so well last year and in this year’s trip to Costa Rica for the CONCACAF Champions League first leg. They’re not bashful about imposing their will, even in hostile environs.
“I think that’s our key to success,” defender Jack Elliott said. “If we don’t play the way that we’re supposed to, with aggression and high pressing and being comfortable on the ball, I think we struggle. That’s a key for us in picking up results.”
Both teams entered off midweek advancements in the CCL. Columbus rotated its squad Thursday with a big lead in its tie against Nicaragua’s Real Esteli. The Crew, in one of its last games at Historic Crew Stadium before its new stadium opens, unveiled its 2020 MLS Cup banner Sunday.
Despite naming the same lineup for a third game in 12 days, the Union got stronger as the game wore on, especially in their pressing. After
Columbus’ pair of outstanding outside backs, Harrison Afful and Milton Valenzuela, got the better of them in the first half, Curtin adjusted. Between a standout game from Leon Flach in checking Afful and fewer cheap giveaways, the Union looked closer to a goal late.
Andre Blake made a pointsaving save in the 83rd minute. Alejandro Bedoya tried to clear a set piece in the box but it fell right to Columbus midfielder Artur, who volleyed a shot that Blake dove to his left to keep out. The rebound ricocheted off the head of Gyasi Zardes and sailed over the bar.
Since the restart of MLS last July, Blake has 12 clean sheets in his last 26 Union starts in all competitions.
“It’s always very good when you can get a zero,” Blake said. “You’re always very close to winning games. For us, defense wins championships so we’ve just got to keep being very good defensively and being very hard to break down and do our best to keep teams off the score sheet.”
Eloy Room was just as good. The Curacao No. 1 goalie cleared a dangerous Kacper Przybylko header in the 19th minute, then beat down a Flach shot from distance through the shadows in the 50th.
It took until the 88th minute for the Union to finally beat Room, but when Bedoya did, volleying a Jakob Glesnes back-post knockdown of Jamiro Monteiro’s free kick, he could only find the post. They kept the pressure on late, including sub Sergio Santos bombing down the right channel for a shot blocked by a desperation slide by Crew center back Josh Williams.
Glesnes was in the center of the game’s other pivotal moment. He went shoulder to shoulder with Pedro Santos in the 38th minute on the edge of the box. Santos hit the ground, and referee Ramy Touchan pointed to the penalty spot.
After consultation with the video assistant referee, Touchan went to the monitor and determined that the contact occurred outside the box. 0 0—0 0 0—0
Glesnes got a yellow, Columbus got a free kick 19 yards out and Blake watched Lucas Zelarayan’s effort flutter over the wall and straight into his gloves for an easy save.
Much as Curtin may rue a missed chance to get the full three points, any result in a place where the Union are just 2-11-3 all-time is valuable.
“I thought in all phases of the game, we played well but still a lot of room for improvement,” he said. “That was a good first 90 minutes but certainly things we can do better.”