Game 17 – Wizards 3 – Crew 3
So many of the Crew’s games can play to type. The early win streak showed the comeback spirit. Thursday’s game highlighted the latest nature of a Crew game. The Crew again gave up the early goals, but then the team came back to take the lead. Then they gave up the three points and settled for a draw. It was a love/hate type game as the Crew had a bad three minute stretch in first half, but otherwise had their way with Kansas City. The second half highlighted some of the flaws that the team always had, and a new one that concerns me a little. A tie felt like a loss tonight and left the most impressive crowd of the season going home a little disappointed.
The first half was a virtuoso performance on offense led by a outstanding performance from Schelotto. The Crew moved the ball around with ease for the first 20 minutes and really dominated the Wizards. I had even hoped the Crew had gotten past the defensive lapses that have plagued them the last few games, but I could not be more wrong as the Wizards would be up two goals just after the halfway point of the half (on one shot even). The Crew offense never really let up and quickly got one back off of a savvy play by Schelotto. As Wizards ‘keeper Kevin Hartman fiddled with the wall, Schelotto stepped up for a quick free kick past both the wall and a distracted Hartman to get a goal back. Schelotto was again key in the second goal as he found an open Moreno who eventually put the ball in to tie it at two. The third goal came a mere 12 minutes after going down two. Schelotto drove a perfect ball on the corner kick that Marshall headed into the upper corner. The Crew offense can be a joy to behold.
The second half started out with Kansas City wanting to make a game of it. The Wizards pressed and the Crew chased. I am not sure if it was really bunker ball or the fact that there were three Crew players that looked exhausted by the 60th minute (Carroll, Rogers, and Ekpo) and a couple others that looked extremely fatigued. That is why I really cannot complain about Evans coming in for Ekpo. I just wish we had a better option than him (Get well soon Eddie). Sadly, the Evans injection acted like a placebo and the Crew still were chasing the game. I am wondering if the team is losing some of it’s stamina and fitness as Kansas City looked the fresher team out there (but it was a very hot night). The defense finally broke as O’Rourke made a (awful) play for the ball on a long diagonal leaving his man free. Iro was slow to step up (again not a surprise there) and Josh Wolff received an easy cross and slotted the ball home. Coach Schmid waited almost until the last five minutes to make his second (and last sub) as Lenhart came in for a quiet Miglioranzi. He almost scored another late minute goal, but it was called back as he had fouled Conrad.
The game was a microcosm of the season. The team can score goals, but is missing defensive bite. Schelotto, Moreno, Rogers, and Ekpo got involved in the offense, but the defense slipped up again. O’Rourke continues to have problems, Iro is slow and is not reading the game well yet. The central midfiled continues to have issues replacing Adam Moffat. Brian Carroll had a pretty decent game, but Stefani Miglioranzi was too quiet. There are problems on this team that will need to be addressed. I think there needs to be some additions to the defense. Keeping Iro and O’Rourke in the starting lineup and relying on an injury prone Padula and an older Hendrickson seems like wishful thinking. I am not expecting the team to make any moves, but I would love to see the management look to improve the team.
