Defenders Kemar Lawrence and Matt Miazga also made key blocks to keep Columbus shots out of the net. There was no champagne, loud music or boisterous boasts.
Advertisement
Fanendo Adi and Lucas Melano scored and the Portland Timbers advanced to the MLS Cup for the first time, tying FC Dallas 2-2 on Sunday in the second leg of the Western Conference finals.
After serving as a Galaxy assistant coach as he wound up his playing career in 2011, Crew SC head coach Gregg Berhalter took up the mantle of another Anschutz Entertainment Group sports property, Swedish club IF Hammarby. We can be risky on the move and we can be unsafe in transition so it’s a smart move for them to try and slow the game down. “I was saying, ‘No way can they get two goals in the last two minutes (of stoppage).’ I don’t know how I wound up on the post where the ball was”. However, if they’re going to advance, he’s might need to finish a few more chances.
“I’m devastated to have lost that game and to that team”, Wright-Phillips said.
The sound was compendium of favorites from back home, such as “Columbus till I die”.
The Timbers won the two-leg aggregate West final matchup 5-3 after taking the opener 3-1 at home last weekend. This will be the first time The Crew has fought for the championship title on their home turf, and the second time the MLS Championship has been hosted in Columbus.
The New York Red Bulls earned the Supporters’ Shield thanks to their consistent ability to score and stellar play at home.
Both sides entered their Conference finals as underdogs that had to upset the two best regular season teams, New York Red Bulls and FC Dallas.
Substitute Anatole Abang pulled one back in stoppage time before Wright-Phillips hit the post with just seconds remaining. “I’m thinking…he’s offside; I’m thinking ‘Please go wide.’ Once that doesn’t go in I’m thinking, ‘Man, where’s the final whistle'”.
The site of the game was supposed to be whichever team had the best regular-season record, but the Crew and Timbers finished the regular season with the same record of 15-11-8.
NY showed more punch and desperation in the second half after only registering one shot in the first half, during which the Red Bulls were aggressive but lacked creativity and left themselves exposed on the back line.
But it was the Crew’s offense that was generating quality chances for much of the night.
Red Bulls coach Jesse Marsch credited Columbus for making the game a stalemate, negating his side’s attempts to use its speed and pressure tactics.
Advertisement
“One of Columbus’ tactics was that any time we got out on the break they wanted to foul us”, Marsch said. His header was slapped away by Kwarasey at point-blank range, the biggest save of the first half. The fact that we’re winning games and now we’ve won the first trophy of the year, a lot of things have to change in the city.
