As we finally start to draw away from the what felt like the longest winter ever, the Columbus Crew’s 2014 season is off and running with a bang as a Bernardo Anor brace helped the Crew to a 2-1 win over Philadelphia.
The win gives the Berhalter led Crew a 2-0-0 start to the season after their victory on opening day away at DC United – A game you likely missed unless you’re a TWC subscriber.
A lot has happened during the off-season, players have come and gone, there’s a brand new score board, and apart from the largely negative response to the TV deal things are looking pretty good in Crew land.
The Crew set up in similar fashion to the DC game, with Josh Williams and Waylon Francis pushing high up the pitch as wing-backs and Federico Higuain operating within 10 yards of wherever the ball happens to be on the pitch. It’s an exciting system to watch and has the potential for a lot of goals.
Anor’s first goal came in the 24th minute when his powerful header found the back of the net from a corner off Higuain.
The Crew looked comfortable for the majority of the first half, keeping possession and pressuring the Philly defense but they were unable to double their lead until Anor’s surprise goal of the week contender lifted Crew fans off their feet.
Picking the ball up from future superstar Will Trapp in the middle of the park, Anor launched a rocket of a left foot strike that flew past the despairing dive of Union ‘keeper Zac MacMath.
The Crew lost a little momentum in the second half and allowed Philadelphia back into the game when Leo Fernandes nipped into space in the Crew defense and put the ball past new Crew ‘keeper Steve Clark, who up until then looked like he was on for another clean sheet between the Crew sticks.
Berhalter chose to fight the potential Union comeback by adding more attacking threat in the likes of substitutes Dom Oduro and Justin Meram, both of whom looked lively in the limited time they had in the game.
Philadelphia had a couple of chances to level the game late on but the Crew’s new look defense held on to give Berhalter’s team the perfect start to the season and keep the excitement of the new era of Crew soccer buzzing loudly for the fans who came out on yet another chilly March evening.
The Crew go to Seattle next week, before squaring up against Toronto FC on April 5 at Crew Stadium for the first game in the meaningless Trillium Cup.
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Matt Ellis is a freelance photographer who covers bands that visit the city and the Columbus Crew MLS team. More about Matt can be found at Matt Ellis Photography.
