Maloney makes most of first start
Connor Maloney found out a day in advance that he would make his first Major League Soccer start Saturday at Real Salt Lake.
It was enough time for the Crew SC rookie fullback out of Penn State to take a few extra looks at Real Salt Lake film and mentally prepare, but not enough time for Maloney’s parents to make the trip to Utah.
“My dad was actually moving my sister (Kelsie) in. She just got an assistant coaching job at Miami (University),” Maloney said. “He was trying to get a flight, but it was too late.”
A day was also significantly longer than Maloney, a third-round pick in the 2017 SuperDraft, had to prepare for his first MLS action. On March 11, he made his MLS debut against the Houston Dynamo after Harrison Afful was pulled at halftime.
In addition to the 24-hour heads-up, Maloney also had more than four months between his first two MLS appearances. Sitting behind right backs Harrison Afful and Hector Jimenez on the depth chart, he waited for an opportunity that finally came Saturday in an 82-minute performance.
So did his first MLS assist.
In the 15th minute of the Crew’s 2-2 tie with Salt Lake, Maloney hustled near the end line to collect a deflection and set up Ola Kamara on the first of his two goals. He also made a key defensive play in the second half, sliding to block a Joao Plata shot and taking a stud to the back of the knee in the process.
“I think first and foremost what needs to be said about Connor is he’s a competitor. You see the goal, the first goal we scored, was a fantastic individual effort on his part to stick with the play,” coach Gregg Berhalter said. “He goes out there and he puts it all out on the field. He was nervous, and having said that he did a good job.”
The hustle doesn’t surprise Berhalter because it’s similar to what he saw in his first extended look at the 5-foot-6 defender during the Crew’s preseason trip to Brazil. Maloney wasn’t expected to make the team but wowed the coaching staff with his effort and output to the point of earning a Sao Paulo FC jersey as 10:30 p.m. Saturday Ch. 53, Spectrum Sports WWCD-FM (102.5), WVKO-FM (103.1, in Spanish) recognition in front of the entire team and, later, an MLS contract.
Maloney said the performance at Salt Lake gave him confidence, but he’s aware it doesn’t guarantee him continued playing time. His start was the result of a thigh injury to Afful and two games in five days for Jimenez. Back to work he’ll go.
“I’ve been contributing through practice and I am definitely OK with that. As long as we win, I am totally OK with that,” Maloney said. “(My next chance) may not come for a little bit now, but you know what, I always have to be ready and wait for my number to be called.”