Following his professional debut in Saturday's 2-0 Crew SC victory at D.C. United, Homegrown Player and defender Alex Crognale earned Team of the Week honors via Goal.com. The accolade comes in the wake of Crognale's fan-voted Acura Man of the Match award and a Week 3 Team of the Week honor from MLSsoccer.com.
Stating the obvious, the Goal.com honor is the first of its kind in Crognale's young career.
ALEX CROGNALE | Columbus Crew | The homegrown player delivered a confident professional debut, anchoring a three-man back line with aplomb while making plenty of last-gasp tackles in a 2-0 victory at D.C. United.
►Goal.com
Crognale made his MLS and professional debut at RFK Stadium — just 30 minutes from the University of Maryland, where he played four years of collegiate soccer before signing with Crew SC as a Homegrown Player in December — playing the full 90 in the center of the backline en route to winning three tackles, connecting on 27 successful passes and making 11 defensive clearances.
Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter saw his side collect maximum points on the road despite changing the team's shape from its usual 4-2-3-1 to a new-look 3-4-2-1 formation. Crognale was one of two changes — both on the backline, with Josh Williams also making his 2017 debut — to Berhalter's starting XI from Week 2, slotting into the Black & Gold's fresh three-man backline.
