After two disappointing outings against Toronto FC and Orlando City SC, Columbus Crew SC needed a confidence booster. And that’s exactly what the team got with a 2-1 come-from-behind road victory over the Colorado Rapids on Saturday night.
“I thought it was a gutsy performance by our guys,” Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter said following the Black & Gold’s second away win of the season. “Obviously going down a goal and after the confidence dipped after last week’s performance, we hung in there. And we certainly stepped up the effort in the second half and I thought we had some good combination, some good goals and it was a good win.”
Berhalter said he was proud of his team for bouncing back from the worst defeat of the season, a 5-2 loss in Orlando last week, and battling through the altitude to overcome a 1-0 deficit at the break.
“Like I said, we lacked 100 percent confidence in this game, and it’s tough to go on the road at altitude and win a game, and the guys did it,” he said. “They didn’t do it through beauty the whole time, they did it through hard work and determination and that goes a long way.”
Defender Chris Klute, who returned to Colorado for the first time since being traded from the Rapids to Crew SC, said coming back from Bobby Burling’s opening goal in the 42nd minute took a team effort and hard work.
“I think it’s going to bring us closer together in the long run,” Klute said of the comeback win. “A couple of weeks ago we kind of let down being up three goals, and we were down a goal this game and we came together instead of just going against each other, and we came back and won the game.”
Forward Kei Kamara, whose brace propelled the Black & Gold past the Rapids, said Saturday’s match was all about grinding out a win.
“After our last game, it was one of those where we really had to get something on the board,” he said. “For me and for all of us today, it was just keep working hard.”
Having gotten back to their winning ways and having earned their second road win of the season was particularly important since the Black & Gold head into a bye week and won’t be back on the pitch until August 19 when they host New York City FC.
“At least now everyone can keep their heads high. The next four, five days we are off and we move forward from this,” Klute said.
Kamara said he and his teammates will take a little bit of time off to regenerate before heading into two tough home matches vs. New York City FC on August 19 and Sporting Kansas City on August 22.
“Two games at home is going to be huge,” he said. “And coming back from a win, hopefully we will be on that front foot and be ready to go for that.”
