{"id":9398,"date":"2017-08-24T00:20:08","date_gmt":"2017-08-24T04:20:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosonsoccer.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=9398"},"modified":"2017-10-08T20:07:04","modified_gmt":"2017-10-09T00:07:04","slug":"columbus-crew-sc-la-galaxy-post-match","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/soccer\/2017\/08\/24\/columbus-crew-sc-la-galaxy-post-match\/","title":{"rendered":"Video Review Hands Columbus Crew SC Three Points Over LA Galaxy"},"content":{"rendered":"

Columbus, OHIO —\u00a0<\/strong>Fifth place\u00a0Columbus Crew SC\u00a0<\/strong>hosted a struggling\u00a0Los Angeles Galaxy\u00a0<\/strong>in a midweek showdown at\u00a0MAPFRE Stadium.\u00a0<\/strong>Columbus entered the match hoisting a 1-1 draw against\u00a0Orlando City SC.\u00a0<\/strong>Rookie defender\u00a0Lalas Abubakar\u00a0<\/strong>scored his first goal in for the Black and Gold.\u00a0Giles Barnes\u00a0<\/strong>tied the game with his equalizer midway through the second half.<\/p>\n

Video Review Hands Columbus Crew SC Three Points over LA Galaxy<\/strong><\/h1>\n

Columbus had to play this game without right back\u00a0Harrison Afful\u00a0<\/strong>after he received a red card late in the second half.<\/p>\n

The Boys Are Back In Town<\/h1>\n

After playing their last few matches with a 3-4-2-1 formation, Head Coach, and Sporting Director\u00a0Gregg Berhalter\u00a0<\/strong>switched back to the infamous 4-2-3-1 formation that saw\u00a0Josh Williams\u00a0<\/strong>and\u00a0Jonathan Mensah\u00a0<\/strong>paired up in the center. Newly minted Designated Player\u00a0Pedro Santos\u00a0<\/strong>made his first ever MLS start and midfielder\u00a0Federico Higuain\u00a0<\/strong>found his way back into the starting lineup.<\/p>\n

Columbus Had Chances<\/h2>\n

Columbus had a good chance early on in the ninth minute of play when Santos was able to get a good look at the goal, but goalkeeper\u00a0Jon Kempin\u00a0<\/strong>was able to make the save. Just minutes later, Columbus was on the attack again. This time, good passing led up to a\u00a0Hector Jimenez\u00a0<\/strong>shot that was deflected out for a corner kick.<\/p>\n

More VAR!<\/h2>\n

Things would get even worse for the Galaxy when\u00a0Ashley Cole\u00a0<\/strong>would receive a red card for wiping out the legs of Santos. Referee\u00a0Sorin Stoica\u00a0<\/strong>decided to go to Video Review and the card stood. The ensuing free kick was blasted into the wall by Santos.<\/p>\n

\n

? to Ashley Cole. @LAGalaxy<\/a> is down to ? men for the final 72 minutes at @MAPFREStadium<\/a> #CrewSC<\/a> #CLBvLA<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/Lg1jZ8PukD<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Columbus Crew SC (@ColumbusCrewSC) August 24, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Again, minutes later, Santos was taken down right on the line. Stoica went to VAR again for the second time, and VAR referee\u00a0Hilario Grajeda\u00a0<\/strong>gave the option to Stoica to award a penalty kick. Stoica took the recommendation and gave Crew SC the penalty kick. Higuain took the kick but Kempin came up huge with the save.<\/p>\n

\n

??? #CLBvLA<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/IsC2o1psKx<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) August 24, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

At the other end, the Galaxy scored a goal, but Stoica — yet again — went to VAR and it was determined that the play was offside. The goal was scored by\u00a0Daniel Steres,\u00a0<\/strong>but Stoica called the goal back due to an offside play and foul by\u00a0Joao Pedro <\/strong>on Hector Jimenez<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/strong>No goal.<\/p>\n

\n

Here’s the disallowed #LAGalaxy<\/a> goal following Video Review.<\/p>\n

Do you agree with the call? #CLBvLA<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/1XCOxHEoNt<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 LA Galaxy (@LAGalaxy) August 24, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A lot, right?<\/p>\n

Defender\u00a0Waylon Francis\u00a0<\/strong>had to be taken off and replaced by\u00a0Jukka Raitala\u00a0<\/strong>after getting injured.<\/p>\n

gOLA Kamara<\/h3>\n

Columbus would eventually find the opener in the 45th minute before halftime. Santos played a ball inside to\u00a0Ola Kamara\u00a0<\/strong>who slotted it home past Kempin to give the Black and Gold a 1-nil lead.<\/p>\n

\n

Ola puts Columbus up 1-0 after a lovely ball from Santos! pic.twitter.com\/Y2mqawuFWZ<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Total MLS (@TotalMLS) August 24, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Columbus Surges in Second Half<\/h2>\n

Justin Meram almost had the second goal of the game when nifty moves gave him space inside of the box for a shot on goal that went just high of the upper 90 target.\u00a0Cristian Martinez\u00a0<\/strong>also almost doubled the Columbus lead with his shot right on the penalty spot, but his attempt went wide of the far post.<\/p>\n

Columbus was awarded yet another penalty kick in the 78th minute when Kempin took down\u00a0Kekuta Manneh\u00a0<\/strong>inside of the box. Kamara looking to get another brace took the kick but Kempin was strong yet again, to parry the ball away to keep the Galaxy alive in a weird but very intriguing match.<\/p>\n

\n

Make that \u270c\ufe0f PK saves tonight for @JonKempin21<\/a>! #CLBvLA<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/UCPIl283Ij<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 24, 2017<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Game, set, match for Columbus as they were able to steal all three points when Meram blasted a shot past Kempin to give Columbus a 2-nil lead in stoppage time. Columbus pulled out the 2-0 victory as they continue their push to the playoffs.<\/p>\n

Post-match Quotes: Gregg Berhalter<\/h2>\n

Berhalter started the press conference with a little bit of shock in regards of three Video Review calls going in favor of his side. “It was crazy. Just crazy to think that three calls, two corrected and one upheld, but to me, that’s why they implemented this [VAR] system, so you would get major things right. I think it’s strange it all happened in one game.”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

As mentioned before, Columbus opted to go back to the 4-2-3-1 formation; A formation that hasn’t been seen since early July. “We wanted to get Ola, Federico, Pedro, and Justin on the field together. I think it went reasonably well. Overall good movements.”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Columbus didn’t allow the Galaxy a single shot on goal throughout the match. Four shots were taken but all off target. “In games like this, that’s when the defense needs to be the most concentrated. You missed two penalty kicks, you’re winning 1-0, they’re down 10 men, and by nature, as defenders, you have the tendency to get complacent and we didn’t get complacent at all.”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Two Missed Penalties<\/h3>\n

“I’ve rarely seen in games you miss two penalties. I’ve never seen that personally. It doesn’t happen often.”\u00a0<\/em>Had Columbus converted on the two penalty kicks, the match would’ve ended 4-0 but Kempin had other plans to help the 10-man Galaxy stay in the match.<\/p>\n

Defender\u00a0Waylon Francis\u00a0<\/strong>had to be replaced by\u00a0Jukka Raitala\u00a0<\/strong>in the first half. Berhalter said “We think it’s a slight hamstring strain. We’re going to evaluate it tomorrow with an MRI.”\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

“<\/em>It seems like a lot of time has passed since the Orlando game. Maybe it was just mental that we pretended there was a week stretch between Saturday and Wednesday.”\u00a0<\/em>Three days passed since the draw with Orlando and this match.<\/p>\n

Columbus’ three-game home stand continues this Saturday when Crew SC host a red hot\u00a0FC Dallas\u00a0<\/strong>squad (7:30 pm EST | MLS Live) before having a week off. Columbus will close out the homestand against\u00a0Sporting Kansas City\u00a0<\/strong>September 10 (1 pm EST | ESPN).<\/p>\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a>