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Columbus Crew SC dropped the team's first game of the 2019 season on Saturday night, tying 3-0 away from the Philadelphia Union. Even without a few key starters, this was not expected from a team that was previously undefeated for the first three games of the year.
At first, it did not seem like the game would run as before. Although Philadelphia was the dominant team at the start, Columbus had some good chances. The crew, however, only scored one shot on goal all night and this is the first time they have been whitened all season.
Let's take a look at some takeaways from the fourth game of the Black & Gold season.
Importance of missing key players
Even with eight starters from last week's home win against FC Dallas, it was clear that players such as Wil Trapp and Gyasi Zardes were crucial to leading Caleb Porter's game plan. The team seemed absolutely lost without the presence of both players.
An experienced veteran, Ricardo Clark is not supposed to fill Trapp's shoes the same way. Without Trapp, Columbus had no playmaker in the middle of the field and struggled to create in the center of the park. Striker Patrick Mullins is in a similar stadium. He did not score a goal goal throughout the match, although he did not have many opportunities. Rookie JJ Williams looked better after his replacement early in the second period, but the match was already over.
The clinical finish is the biggest part of the Zardes game. Unfortunately, this is something that other strikers have been unable to do. In general, it will be difficult for this side to score goals without Zardes in training.
Steffen will miss Columbus at the start
Joe Bendik, who makes his debut, does not stand out, but Zack Steffen is a generation goalkeeper in Major League Soccer. A legitimate case that Steffen saved the first two objectives of the Union could easily be presented. However, the defense is equally to blame for allowing such neglected chances to lead to goals.
It is clear that Columbus will enjoy every minute that Steffen is between the posts before he leaves for Manchester City in July. Not traveling with the US Men's National Team should help crewmembers sleep at night knowing they are undergoing the proper healing process since their minor shock.
What the Black & Gold will do when Steffen is gone is a question that will only be asked in the coming months. Last night's performance did nothing to answer it.
Caleb Porter can only do a lot
We've already seen how much influence manager Caleb Porter can have on a match, but it's also up to the players to get involved and do their part. Saturday night, it just was not the case.
Sleeping defenders caught in sleep led to the first match for Philadelphia. A gift and a bad defense from Harrison Afful allowed the second. A hint of Robinho's clearance was the obvious fault of the nearest. It's easy to say that without these mistakes, Columbus could have made it a game, but the players did not stop them from happening.
We'll have to do the little things. This will greatly contribute to defining the team's season. Players will have to arrive at times like these and play as a team to have continued success.
What were your recipes of the match? Post your comments and thoughts in the comments section below.
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