Thursday, February 20, 2014

Preseason: Crew Down TFC, the Williams Goal

The Columbus Crew handled Toronto FC fairly easily yesterday in preseason action. It's hard to take a whole lot away from this match as the video feed from Orlando wasn't in very good form.

At the end of it all the Crew won 3:1. Gregg Berhalter has to be satisfied with what he saw as no goals have been scored on his side after two preseason matches (1:0 against Malmo and the one vs. TFC was an own goal).

Since fans only got about 30 mins of action from a 90 min match for this one, let's just take a look at the vitals...

With the first half lineup it looks like the Crew are taking a good look at Patrick Slogic and Francis out at left back. It was interesting to see Tyson Wahl at that CB spot instead of Josh Williams.

If Berhalter wanted to see what Williams had going forward, he got it in that great goal. I don't think he was looking at Wahl as a CB (Wahl was the culprit in the own goal).

Federico Higuain scored the other goal in the first half with a free kick. The guy is quality and the Crew have wasted him last year and a half. Hoping that changes.

In the second half we saw a more patchwork group. It sounds like Adam Bedell did everything he could have in trying to earn a spot with the team, including a goal.

FINAL THOUGHT on 2ND PRESEASON GAME

The Crew are still feeling the team out and working on fitness. It was a very nice bonus to handle Toronto FC as well as they did. Josh Williams' goal was one to remember. The touch and strike are good, but the fact that Michael Bradley was to his left as he shot and he beat Julio Cesar in goal was just great.

There's nothing really to criticize the Crew on thus far this offseason. Berhalter and co. seem to be feeling out the roster more than anything. Results in the first couple preseason games are a bonus.

Next up is a game on Saturday against the Philadelphia Union.

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