From a 4-4 draw, to a 0-0 draw, Columbus Crew SC and Montreal Impact lacked chemistry and star power as the teams battled it out under the lights at MAPFRE Stadium. Due to many injuries, and players gone on national duty, both Gregg Berhalter and Mauro Biello made several changes their respective lineups to balance out the missing pieces.
With Crew SC holding much posession, many chances were created by the Black and Gold, but many weren't converted to scoring opportunities.
The first clear cut chance by either team came in the 16th minute when Didier Drogba took a free kick that went just over the crossbar. For Crew SC, their first chance came at the 21st minute mark when Justin Meram took a close range shot at Evan Bush. Bush would save it, and have the ball pop back up to Columbus' Mohammed Saeid who would get a head on it, but in the wrong direction as the ball sailed away from the target.
A few minutes later, Montreal would start a 3-on-2 counter attack, led by former Crew SC player Dominic Oduro. Fortunately, the defensive pairing of Tyson Wahl and Michael Parkhurst would clean up the dangerous attack, keeping the scoreline level at zero. Just ten minutes later, Montreal would have another attempt with a surprise shot from Lucasv Ontivero on Steve Clark. Clark would eventuallymake the save and concede a corner kick to the Impact .
As time would run down on the first half, Victor Cabrera would do his part in stopping a potential Crew SC counter attack that was very promising. the whistle would blow and the teams went into the half scoreless.
Unentertaining second half
The second half played out pretty much just like the first. Teams would have chances, but nothing to get excited about.
In the 55th minute, Crew SC would be awarded a free kick just inside the semi-circle at the top of the 18 yard box, with Hassoun Camara taking down Meram. Meram would take the insuing free kick, only to have it blocked by the seven man wall built by the Montreal Impact players. But, the kick would need to be taken again, as the wall moved before Sorin Stoica could blow his whistle for play to resume. Nonetheless, the kick would get blocked again not once, but twice.
Just three minutes later, Meram had another chance off of a corner kick from Saeid. Saeid found the near post run by Meram and crossed it in, only to find Meram's head and have the shot go just wide of the post. Columbus would have another great chance when Ola Kamara and Meram played give-and-go with one another. Camara would be the man to break up the danger by venturing away form his mark to clear the ball out of the penalty area.
Finlay would create one more scoring chance in the 87th minute, after stealing the ball away from Wandrille Lefevre and finding Kamara inside the box. Although Kamara took too many touches, he was able to get a shot off, only to have it go right into the hands of Bush.
The game finished opposite of the previous match, a nil-nil draw, giving both teams a point.
The Impact will travel back to Montreal to host Sporting Kansas City in their next match, while Columbus play host to the New York Red Bulls.