Justin Meram and Sebastian Miranda provide a couple special goals that propel the Crew to victory in a game that will probably be more remembered for elbows, a concussion and a speared trachea.
1ST HALF
Referee Baldomero Toledo watched over a choppy start. If not for Tchani getting burned by not playing to the whistle the half would have ended with zero goals. Ethan Finlay, once again got the start up top but took an elbow to the head / neck and was replaced by eventual goal scorer, Meram.
2ND HALF
Things got very heated right out of the locker room break. In the fog of war it seemed as if the Columbus players wanted to get some revenge for the Finlay concussion. Meram picked up a yellow by elbowing the same guy that took Finlay out. Eventually, in the 64th minute, Dallas' Zack Lloyd was the one who was thrown out. A couple minutes after that Meram fizzed one past the Dallas 'keeper to tie things up.
Five minutes after that Sebastian Miranda headed one in from 20 yards out. Yes, 20 yards. Header. Solid header. Amazing header.
THE END, CONCLUSION
• 36 called fouls. 6 Yellow Cards (1 Red).
• I would say that this is the most violent Crew game I've seen in some time. I'm not sure if the ref could have done much more than he did. In fact, he seemed to let the players work it out of their systems during open play. Were this another ref on another day... handbags and multiple suspensions. Perhaps we saw what Major League Soccer actually is, in its pure form. Often times we see games over officiated. Helicopter Refs?
• Ethan Finlay is too small and too inexperienced to play up top. He is a head shorter and 30 lbs lighter then your average MLS Defender. I repeatedly told the person I was with that he would end up hurt. He did - and it was ugly. I do not think this was Warzycha's call to put him up top. I think it comes down from higher up (Bliss, McCullers). I hope that they don't forget what happened. I certainly won't.
• Tony Tchani's mental slip up was infuriating. He thought the ball was out and went on waiving his hand around instead of playing through the whistle. This is what you get with him. Full credit to Coach Warzycha for leaving him in, though. That show's confidence in your players and will go a long way with them.
Well done, Bobby. Leadership!
• Another strong CB showing from the Crew. Williams and Gehrig have been excellent over the past few. Vukovic is also playing with amazing amounts of energy and passion. Only 2 goals against in three games.
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