Columbus, OH- Two teams that are still trying to find a way not to win but to prevail. Seattle and Columbus average one goal per game. The Sounders lost Obafemi Martins, who went to play in China and looks like he took the goals from Century Link with him. Kei Kamara stayed with Crew SC but his affair with the net hasn’t been the same as last year, neither has his squad’s offensive approach. Is this the time to make a statement? What kind of message will the winner send to the League? In the end, it won’t matter much who gets the three points, but how they take them.
There is no secret that in the 4-2-3-1 system Gregg Berhalter uses with Columbus their out backs play an important role in their attack. One of the reasons they haven’t score more goals is their inaccuracy with the crosses. From this type of play, CrewSC scored a total of zero goals this season. If they looked Seattle’s last couple of games (I’m sure they have) the visitors must improve in that department.
The Sounders can’t count on Brad Evans because of his red card in the game with the Rapids. That leaves former Crew SC Chad Marshall making a duo with Zach Scott. The hosts allowed three goals in the past two games from crosses, their central defense has been vulnerable so far and that represents a solid opportunity for Kamara and company to do damage.
Columbus leads the League in passing accuracy with 82.3% and Seattle is second with 81.9%. Both have the ability to control the tempo of the game, but they are not capable, so far at least, to impose their will on the opponents. Why is that? They rotate the ball constantly but they don’t speed up the process in the final third, they are not having that surprise element to brake solid defenses. If they have space, like Columbus, did with New York, sure they can score, but when the gaps are closed the don’t know how to open their own.
In their last two trips to Century Link, Crew SC walked away with three points each time. Will they be able to do it again? The chance is up for grabs if they do would be a huge confidence boost and they can call it a winning streak with three victories in as many games. But, if they don’t, if they get one or zero points, is how they perform that is important. Both teams must show they are capable of doing damage on the field, not on paper.
Columbus Crew
Sounders FC
