Seven matches, 12 goals.
No team in Major League Soccer finds the back of the net more often than Columbus Crew SC. The Philadelphia Union was the last side to face the wrath of the Black & Gold offense as Kei Kamara, Justin Meram and Ethan Finlay scored in Crew SC’s 4-1 win at MAPFRE Stadium on Saturday.
“I think we’re one of the best offenses in the league,” Finlay said. “I think we’re a team that no one wants to play when we’re all clicking.”
And clicking they are.
Crew SC scored seven goals in its last two matches alone. The Black & Gold have taken 104 shots this season for the highest average of shots per game (14.9). With five goals, Kamara is tied for most in the League and Finlay (two goals) ranks second in assists with a total of four.
Meram (three goals, one assist) and Federico Higuain (one goal and assist) complete the Black & Gold’s attacking diamond, which has scored 11 of Crew SC’s 12 goals.
“When one guy’s not having a great game, you can have three other guys that can really make a huge impact and a huge difference,” Finlay said. “So when you have that, that’s extremely dangerous throughout the season.”
The key to Crew SC’s offensive power this season has been its passing game. Crew SC is one of the most accurate passing teams in MLS. The Black & Gold ranked second in the League in passing accuracy (82.1%) and two of its players, Waylon Francis and Mohammed Saeid, are among the top passers in MLS.
Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter said he’s happy with how his team is performing as a passing and scoring unit.
“I have been telling people that our style of play needs the guys working together and that is our whole training,” he said. “Everything is about passing it to each other, then moving together and the collective effort tonight was outstanding.”
That collective effort includes the defense, which has done well to advance the ball, according to Finlay.
“The movement was fantastic, the movement through the midfield, through the backline and then the end product,” he said.
Defender Michael Parkhurst agreed, focusing his post-match praise on the offense, however.
“We move the ball really well and we’ve got a lot of options up top,” he said. “Different guys scoring – it’s great that Ethan’s now on the scoring sheet for the year – and between him, Justin, Kei and Federico, specifically those four, they’re a handful. So, we’re going to score some goals this year.”
Crew SC looks to keep scoring on Saturday, May 2, when it faces D.C. United at RFK Stadium. Kick-off is at 7 p.m. ET. Catch the action onTime Warner Cable SportsChannel, CD102.5 or 103.1 La Mega.
