Kamara brace ends Drogba MLS Cup dream
LOS ANGELES, Nov 9, (AFP): Sierra Leone international Kei Kamara scored twice as Columbus Crew defeated the Montreal Impact 3-1 in extra-time to end Didier Drogba’s MLS Cup dream on Sunday and reach the Eastern Conference Championship final.
Kamara, who fled bloody fighting in his homeland as a child before eventually settling as a refugee in the United States, the MLS Cup.
The veteran former African Player of the Year had scored 12 goals in 13 MLS games heading into Sunday’s clash but was unable to conjure up another strike for Impact, as Crew advanced to a showdown with the New York Red Bulls for the Eastern Conference title.
The winner will face the Western Conference champions for the MLS Cup crown. After falling behind to Kamara’s early strike, Montreal snatched a dubious equalizer five minutes before half-time when Dilly Duka prodded home from close range after Columbus failed to clear Marco Donadel’s corner.
The goal was harsh on Columbus however as replays showed Duka was standing offside when he pounced for a goal which put Montreal 3-2 ahead in the tie on aggregate.
Columbus were gifted a chance to get back in the contest on 67 minutes when Laurent Ciman fouled Ethan Finlay to concede a soft penalty.
The 58-year-old German star won the Charles Schwab Cup points title for the second straight year and record third time overall, earning a $1 million annuity. He easily beat Colin Montgomerie and Jeff Maggert after entering the week third in the standings.
“Obviously, my goal was to win the overall Schwab Cup, this trophy here, coming into this tournament,” Langer said.
With players receiving a point for every $500 in the $2.5 million tournament, Langer earned 508 points with his $254,000 check to beat Montgomerie by 338 points and Maggert by 377.
Langer also won the money title for the record fourth straight year and record seventh time in eight years, finishing with $2,340,288. The two-time Masters champion won the Byron Nelson Award for the second straight year and fourth time overall as the tour’s scoring leader.
“He’s 58 and he’s still the best that we have and he’s a very dedicated player,” Andrade said. “I just look up to him. He’s a Hall of Famer, he’s a classy man and I’m just honored to be in his company and to be competing against him.”
Montgomerie and Maggert tied for 14th at 4 under, with each earning $52,000. Maggert shot 66, and Montgomerie 67. Montgomerie received a $500,000 annuity, and Maggert a $300,000 annuity.
Andrade earned $440,000 and a $200,000 annuity for his fourthplace finish in the standings. The four-time PGA Tour winner also teamed with Joe Durant - his playing partner Sunday - to win the Legends of Golf in April and won the Boeing Classic in August. “Having Joe Durant as my partner today was huge,” Andrade said.
Andrade bogeyed the par-5 15th after his approach went over the green and into a crevice, forcing him to take an unplayable lie.
“I’m in the middle of the fairway at 15 with a very easy 89 yards with a 56-degree sand wedge and I just kind of nerved out,” Andrade said.
He got a big break on the par-3 17th when his tee shot went long, struck a rock and ricocheted onto the green to set up a two-putt par.
“I was really hoping to try to make that putt, that would really be awesome,” Andrade said. “Off the rocks, make the putt and maybe not seal the deal, but have a better chance. Those things have to happen for you to win and sometimes you get bad breaks, you hit a good shot and it turns out bad. ... So you’ve got to get a little lucky, everyone knows that. It was a fortunate break for me there.”
Andrade had a hole-in-one in his opening 65 and followed with rounds of 67 and 70 to begin the day four strokes behind third-round leader Michael Allen.
Allen finished third at 12 under after a 70. The Scottsdale resident took a one-stroke lead over Langer into the day after leading by six strokes midway through the third round.
Jeff Sluman and Mark O’Meara tied for fourth at 10 under. Sluman eagled the 18th for a 66, and O’Meara closed with a 68.