The first MLS team in the league, the first club to have a soccer specific stadium, the first team to have two soccer specific stadiums, the first MLS Next Pro champions, the first team to have four first-time goal scores on the same team since the inaugural season. Are you noticing a trend? With a club who has such a rich history in the league, the Black & Gold continue to write new chapters in their club history.
Coming into the season and having a young roster, questions arose about the depth of the team with a lack of experience of players behind the starters. No Lucas, Room, Degenek, Cucho, no problem so to speak. Saturday night, the young talent showed up in a big way.
To set the tone of the game early, the Crew got on the board in the 14th minute. In what appeared to be a great shot opportunity/ passing chance, Alex Matan fired a shot that was deflected into the air and without thinking, Aidan Morris dove and sent the ball past keeper Atlanta's keeper Brad Guzan to put Columbus up 1-0.
As the first half waged on, the coach Nancy-Pineda chess match started to heat up. Already down star power with Thiago Almada being called up for international duty, the 5 Stripes were dealt a devastating loss when key defender Andrew Gutman went down with an apparent leg injury late in the first half.
Going into halftime, the Black & Gold went to break with all the momentum with a score of 1-0.
As the second half kicked off, the Crew went on the attack. As Jacen Russell-Rowe dribbled up the left side, he was able to find Christian Rameriez inside the box, and with a beautiful pass, Ramirez was able to one-touch shot passed Guzan to put Columbus up 2-0 in the 47th minute. And the Crew did not stop there. They smelt blood in the water.
Just 4 minutes later, Columbus was on the attack. After being awarded a corner kick, Matan sized up the ball and his angle. As he sent the corner kick into the air, it found Phillip Quinton who put it home with a header and the Crew went up 3-0 in the 51st minute.
And the onslaught continued. As Atlanta began to go attack up the field, right back Steven Moreira intercepted a pass and began the counterattack. Getting around defenders and maintaining ball control, Moreira found Ramirez streaking past defenders into the final third. A couple shifty moves to shake the defenders and Ramirez shoots and lays another goal to pick up the brace with his second goal of the night in the 64th minute.
Hard work pays off, and in the 68th minute Jacen Russell-Rowe capitalized on all his hard work. As Alex Matan took defenders with him one way, he found Mo Farsi streaking. With a couple of shifty moves found Russell-Rowe in the box and with a one-timer nets his first MLS goal of his career and put the Black & Gold up 5-0.
With it looking like Crew keeper Patrick Schulte was going to get his first clean sheet of his career, Atlanta United had other plans. 71st minute saw Brooks Lennon sneak one by Schulte to finally get the 5 Stripes on the board and try to mount a comeback from 5-1.
As fatigue started to set in, coach Nancy began to use his reserves. In the 73rd minute, the crowd cheered and gave a round of applause to both Nagbe and Ramirez as they exited the game for a well-deserved rest. Enter the young blood. Both Yaw Yeboah and Sean Zawadzki come on.
With the game winding down, the 81st minute saw Matan pick up a yellow card. With the match stopped for a brief second, coach Nancy brought in Max Arfsten in the 82nd minute to relieve Russell-Rowe who came off for a well-deserved rest.
With just under 2 minutes left before stoppage time, Nancy used his last to reserves. The 89th minute saw both Matan and Vallecilla exit, and Keegan Hughes and Isaiah Parente come on in relief.
Just when you thought the scoring was over here comes Arfsten. 90+1 minute Will Sands dribbled up the left wing. As he was trying to keep possession of the ball, Sands chip the ball passed the defender and make a run around him to regain the ball and with a quick striking pass to Arfsten standing there, Max chips it passed Atlanta's keeper Guzan for his first career MLS goal to make it 6-1 in favor of the Crew.
As the final whistle blew, the final score was 6-1, and the Black & Gold began to celebrate the win. In a night that saw the first for four players, it looked like the Crew finally put together a complete game. in an absolute thrashing of Atlanta United, Columbus will now turn their eyes towards Real Salt Lake who comes into town next Saturday.