Columbus Crew

The Columbus Crew were eliminated from the MLS playoffs after a 7-3 aggregate defeat to the New England Revolution in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. However, despite being knocked out of the postseason, the Crew is set for a successful campaign in 2015 and in the coming years.

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Deserved victory for New England over the two legs. Good year for Columbus - a real platform for the Crew in Berhalter's first season. #MLS

— Kyle McCarthy (@kylejmccarthy) November 10, 2014

Even before Columbus rebranded, there were signs that ownership was willing to make the Crew serious competitors in MLS. They signed defender Emanuel Pogatetz to replace the outgoing Giancarlo Gonzalez and then inked Kei Kamara shortly thereafter. There's also been rumours that Atalanta striker German Denis might arrive next season, according to MLSTransfers.com. 

The ambition that the club is showing is a great sign for fans, especially now that the Eastern Conference won't contain Sporting Kansas City and the Houston Dynamo beginning in 2015. Therefore, the Crew could realistically compete for first place providing they stay competitive in the transfer market.

Columbus already has a solid coach in Gregg Berhalter, who is one of the best young coaches in the league. Despite some struggles early in the campaign, Berhalter led the Crew to 10 wins in their final 15 games of the regular season, which ultimately resulted in their third-place finish.

The ability to steer the club away from disaster and guide them into the playoffs was a great thing for Berhalter. He never lost confidence in his side and was able to get them on the right path. It’s very important for a coach to handle the bad runs of form and overcome them in the end.

The squad has a hole or two but is already solid. The Crew has arguably the best holding-midfield duo in Wil Trapp and Tony Tchani. Captain Federico Higuain is a top-tier attacking midfielder in MLS and is surrounded by solid wingers Justin Meram and Ethan Finlay.

The defense is strong with Pogatetz, Michael Parkhurst, Tyson Wahl and Waylon Francis, but Columbus could consider a full-back upgrade.

2 - @ColumbusCrew (3) and @NERevolution (2) are the only 2 teams who ended the regular season with multi-game winning streaks. Form. #CLBvNE

— OptaJack⚽️ (@OptaJack) November 1, 2014

The Crew should be excited. They haven’t seen this level of optimism since 2008, when they won 17 of 30 matches en route to an MLS Cup win under ex-head coach and current Seattle boss Sigi Schmid. They boasted the best attack of any other team that year, conceding the third-fewest amount of goals.

Columbus nearly replicated those entertaining performances from 2008 during the 2014 season. However, since they're in a small market, they didn't get a lot of recognition. The elimination from the playoffs didn’t help in attracting neutrals, but they should soon change their minds.

If the Crew can sign a striker and possibly an extra full-back, they would be in very good shape. Jairo Arrieta has only scored 17 goals in 67 appearances since joining Columbus, and Aaron Schoenfeld is a formidable striker but cannot play up top by himself. Adding someone like Denis would guarantee goals.

Their only competition in a revamped Eastern Conference is the Revolution, D.C. United and the New York Red Bulls, so finishing in a playoff spot has to be the minimum expectation at this point.

A season similar to 2008 can be repeated again if ownership helps Berhalter improve the team. If so, Columbus will be a threat in MLS next year.

Hunt Sports Group and the Columbus Crew announced today the sale of the Crew to Precourt Sports Ventures (PSV). A new owner for the Crew not only helps the team immensely, it is also good for the growth of Major League Soccer.

Hunt Sports Group, headed by Clark Hunt, has a long history with MLS. Clark's father, Lamar Hunt, was considered one of the founding fathers of MLS. He owned three of the league's original 10 teams. These included the Dallas Burn, Kansas City Wiz and Columbus Crew. 

In 2006, the Hunts sold the Kansas City franchise to Ongoal, LLC, currently known as Sporting Club. Now with the acquisition of the Crew by PSV, Dallas is the only remaining team owned by Hunt Sports Group.

The Columbus Crew can now have an owner that is fully committed to only them, and the same goes for Dallas.

The new money will no doubt benefit the Crew. Perhaps the new owners will reward the team and its fans by signing two more designated players (DP). Columbus currently has just one DP in Federico Higuain.

Precourt's new ownership role now puts the league at 19 teams and 18 owners, which is far from where the league was just 11 years ago. In 2002, MLS had 10 teams and only three owners—Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), Lamar Hunt, and Robert Kraft.

Now AEG, owners of the Los Angeles Galaxy and Houston Dynamo, is the only multi-team owner remaining in MLS. Is it finally time for the entertainment giant to sell its stake in the Dynamo? One can only hope so. Every MLS club deserves owners that can fully devote their attention to the team.

And when the day comes where every team has its own owner, the league will have grown tremendously and will undoubtedly be better off.

The Columbus Crew and Major League Soccer are mourning after news broke that rookie midfielder Kirk Urso passed away Saturday night, according to MLSSoccer.com.

The Crew's No. 10 overall pick in this year’s MLS Supplemental Draft was just 22 years old.

The team released a statement Sunday:

While the circumstances of Urso’s passing are still being determined, no further comments will be made at this time. The thoughts and prayers of the entire Columbus Crew and Hunt Sports Group are with the Urso family in this time of need.

Urso attended college at The University of North Carolina and was a soccer star there. He had 15 goals and 24 assists over his career there, and he captained the team to the 2011 NCAA Men’s College Cup.

The MLS rookie started the first five matches as a member of the Crew, but had been “recovering from right adductor tendonitis,” according to the reports. He had one assist and five shots in 2012.

At only 22 years old, this is an absolute tragedy; there was so much promise for the young star and a bright career ahead. As a born leader with a great work ethic, Urso was working towards being a powerhouse in MLS.

The loss of such a promising young star hurts the Columbus franchise and all of their support units on so many levels. This is truly a devastating blow.

As more details begin to emerge on this tragic situation, we will bring you any updates we can.

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In March, my eldest nephew, 8, accompanied me to WrestleMania XXVIII in Miami. His brother, 5, had to stay at home.

Unsurprisingly, the five-year-old only had one thing to say: "It's not fair!" It didn't appease him that he can go to WrestleMania with me in three years, so I had to find a substitute.

Since these boys are at a very impressionable age (and still think I'm a cool enough uncle to emulate), I have a great deal of influence when it comes to choosing professional sports teams to support. I have one team in each of the five majors (including the MLS), and my nephews have duly accepted these teams as their own.

So to pacify the five-year-old, I told him that he and I will make a weekend trip out of a professional soccer game. Since we both reside within the 515 area code (home to Des Moines and the Iowa State Cyclones), I decided to take him to see a game in Kansas City.

However, Sporting KC is not my MLS team; I support the Columbus Crew. My sister has already ordered a jersey for my nephew, who calls me several times a week to ask when the game is and how many more days until we leave.

I've never attended a professional soccer game at any level, so I'm just as excited even though I'm not a die-hard fan by any means. As passionate as I am about professional wrestling, that zeal doesn't overflow into any of the "real" professional sports.

All that to say: I have no idea what to expect. I'm wondering if the fans at Bleacher Report can clue me in.

I know that Sporting KC have been fighting to stay atop the Eastern Conference while the Crew are still trying to make a second-half-of-the-season comeback to even qualify for the playoffs. Will this game even be competitive?

Also, I've heard great things about the stadium in Kansas City. Are we really going to be blown away? Is there anything special I should check out?

What about MLS fans? How do they compare to the die-hards who attend the World Cup? Will the stadium be packed? Will many Crew fans show up? Will we get harassed if we're wearing Crew gear?

Soccer is a big deal in my hometown, where my nephew will be attending school, so I really want to get him excited about the sport while he's young. What can I do to make sure this is a good experience for him?

I'm excited for the game, and I'll write a review on Sunday morning. But if any of you have any general recommendations for Kansas City that would be appropriate for a five-year-old, please feel free to let me know that as well!

Red Bulls strikers Thierry Henry and Kenny Cooper both scored a brace, the second time that has happened already this season, as the Red Bulls routed Columbus 4-1 at Columbus Crew Stadium. Cooper scored a quick-fire double in the 8th and 13th minute and from then on the game was never in doubt. Henry added his first goal towards the end of the first half and again in the waning minutes of the second half.

Columbus really struggled to maintain possession and move the ball into the attacking third. In the few moments when the crew managed to create chances their finishing was terrible, the highlight coming in the 63rd minute when Emilio Renteria missed an opportunity from just outside the 6 yard box. Columbus did add a 89th minute Chad Marshall goal off a corner kick, but it was too little too late for the lethargic Crew.

Player Ratings

GK Ryan Meara

Poor communication almost cost the young keeper early on, but he got better as the game progressed. Had a number of great saves towards the end of the second half as his defense seemed to lose focus. Deserved a clean sheet for his second half effort, but was denied by an 89th minute Chad Marshall header.

Player Rating: 6

RB Jan Gunnar Solli

Defended well and got forward throughout the game. Looked really good attacking up the right flank throughout the match.

Player Rating: 6.5

CB Markus Holgersson

Defended well early on and well into the second half. Broke up play along the right side. Really faded as the game came to a close, allowing Renteria to get back into the action. Should have been stronger on the 89th minute Marshall goal, but the game was already won.

Player Rating: 6

CB Steven Keel

Had more than just a few shaky moments, including a dangerous back pass that incited the venom of Red Bulls Manager Hans Backe. All-in-all he looks a step behind the MLS game. Red Bulls will be hoping Conde can find fitness because Keel can be exposed.

Player Rating: 5

LB Roy Miller

Will get the assist as he found the killer ball on the Henry's 40th minute goal. Other then that was rarely found in the attacking third, but his defense was solid throughout the match.

Player Rating: 6.5

RM Dane Richards

Had a few good moments early, including am 18th minute charge into the box that lead to a shot that barely fails to find the upper corner. Yet his performance takes a hit due to his hesitance on the ball during a few attacks. He often seems short of ideas with the ball at his feet at the edge of the box and a defender blocking off his path to goal. Was subbed in the 80th minute for Joel Lindpiere.

Player Rating: 5.5

CM Dax McCarty

Worked hard for his team helping win back possession and blunting the Crew's attack through the center of the park. Did well in the build up to Henry's 40th minute goal and executed a great chip to Henry in the 47th minute that almost lead to a spectacular goal.

Player Rating: 7

CM Rafa Marquez

Distribution was much better in this match as he consistently picked out the right pass to send the Red Bulls surging forward. He played in a more deep lying roll then usual and looked more comfortable. Executed two clever Set Piece plays that caught the Crew off guard, but failed to find the back of the net.

Player Rating:  7

LM Medhi Ballouchi

Was everywhere in the offensive third helping to break down the Crew. Always made himself available for teammates and consistently moved the attack forward with his passing. Didn't really operate well along the left wing choosing to play more centrally linking up play.

Player Rating: 7

ST Thierry Henry

Scored two goals and assisted on a third, ho-hum for the league leader in goals and runner up in assists. Strong play by partner Kenny Cooper allowed Henry to drop back into the midfield and orchestrate as a play maker throughout the match.

Player Rating: 8

ST Kenny Cooper

Cooper did well to turn and finish in the 3rd minute and was a bit lucky on his second goal off a deflected Dane Richards shot in the 13th. His hold up play was really impressive as he consistently brought teammates into the attack. Has developed a fruitful partnership with Thierry Henry that see's him just behind the Frenchman in second place of the MLS scoring table.

Player Rating: 8

Substitutes:

Joel Lindpiere (on 80th Minute)

Made an impression in his short appearance as he surged up the left side late in the match making the Columbus defense look foolish before finding Thierry Henry for his 90th minute goal.

Player Rating: 7

Robert Warzycha’s Columbus Crew needed a statement victory to make the point clear to the rest of Major League Soccer: We are America’s hardest-working team, and we will be a massive force to be reckoned with in the MLS Cup Playoffs.

On Saturday, the Crew shut out the Eastern Conference cellar dwellers, Steve Nicol’s New England Revolution, to the tune of 3-0 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. With the win, the Crew return to the playoffs for the fourth straight year, tying a similar streak dating back to 1996-1999.

“We’ve tried to be positive in every game we’ve played. We’ve tried to do that. We want to do all those things. We haven’t done it—that’s the facts of the matter,” Nicol told reporters. "And on the occasions we have made chances and scored some goals, we’ve let them in at the other end. And vice versa. We’ve had a tough time here; there’s no hiding from that fact."

Andres Mendoza played a key role in the victory, recording a brace to add to his team-high 13 goals on the year. In the 31st minute, Emilio Renteria delivered a textbook through ball to Mendoza to open the proceedings for the road side.

Just before the hour match, Dilly Duka opened up his scoring account by taking advantage of a mistake by Revolution defender Darrius Barnes in failing to make a clearance.

Four minutes later, Renteria and Mendoze teamed up to put the game out of reach, with Sebastian Miranda creating the play to make it 3-0 Crew.

“We played direct today and basically on the turf that’s what you have to do,” Warzycha said. “Usually we play on the grass, so we possess the ball a little bit more and have more fun—but scoring goals also is fun. I think the guys responded very well (to the quick surface).

“We had to win this game to go to the playoffs, so obviously it was a difficult game here at New England because it is away from home. Even though their season didn’t go the way that they wanted it to, they are a very dangerous team at home. We are not three goals better than them. Sometimes it’s just that the game just goes like this.”

With the victory, Columbus improve to 13-12-8 (47 points) and could potentially finish first in the East if they defeat the Chicago Fire next Saturday and other results fall in their favor. As for the Revolution, they drop to 5-16-12 (27 points) and will conclude an abysmal campaign on the road against Toronto FC at BMO Field.

Keep it right here on Bleacher Report for continuing coverage of the 2011 Major League Soccer season.

It's the most popular sport in the world and yet in the United States we only really care about it for about a month every four years.

In fact I know many people—most of them football players/coaches/fans—who actually hate soccer.

When I played football in college we had an old-school head coach who hated soccer so much that we weren't allowed to touch a soccer ball during the season.

But even better than that? We weren't even allowed to say the word "soccer." That other sport was referred to as "S-word," like it was some kind of swear word.

For whatever reason, soccer has yet to catch on here like it has in every other country.

Maybe it's because everyone else calls it "football" and we get mad because that's our favorite sport and don't want the name sullied. (We'll leave out the fact that soccer has been around basically for forever and that calling American football "football" doesn't make any sense when you watch the game.)

I personally love soccer. It's not my favorite sport, but I played for four years in high school and sincerely wish that it enjoyed greater popularity in America.

So I've come up with a semi-crazy idea on how to improve soccer's visibility in America.

First, a rhetorical question: Where in the world is soccer the biggest?

The obvious answer is in Europe, where the English Premier League, La Liga, and leagues reign supreme.

Major League Soccer in the United States has tried to adapt their model to mirror the storied leagues across the pond.

They've given the clubs names like FC Dallas, DC United, and Real Salt Lake. (I like that they've tried to be chic by calling teams "Football Club" Dallas even though the name of the sport is Major League Soccer.)

They've gotten involved in the international transfer market.

They've brought in high profile names from Europe like David Beckham and Thierry Henry through the designated player rule, which allows each team one roster member who does not count toward the salary cap.

But one thing they haven't tried is what has actually started to make basketball very big in Europe.

In Europe, all the major clubs like Real Madrid and Barcelona have basketball teams as well as soccer teams.

They use the overwhelming popularity of their soccer clubs to drum up support for their basketball club.

My question is, Why can't we do this in the United States...only the other way around?

Pretending for a second that the league isn't locked out right now, the NBA is either the second or third most popular sport in the the U.S.

NBA stars are the most flashy and recognizable athletes in any sport. They also make the most money.

The league is very smart and savvy with their marketing. Heck, every year when the WNBA season comes rolling around they make it look so good that I almost get tricked into watching a game. "Basketball is basketball."

(Funny side note: When I run spell check, "WNBA" comes up as a misspelled word with a million acronyms that I've never heard of as possible correct spellings headlined, of course, by "NBA." I think our spell check may be sexist.)

If the NBA can keep a women's league that no one cares about afloat for 15 years then I'm sure that they could do wonders for the world's most popular sport.

There would have to major overhaul to the current MLS format. And it would require NBA owners to buy up the MLS franchises and possibly move them to their respective cities.

This wouldn't be too tough in most cases since the majority of MLS teams are located in cities with NBA teams as well: Chicago, Carson (LA), Colorado, DC, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, New England (Boston), New York, Philadelphia, Portland, Salt Lake, Seattle (oops, just kidding), and Toronto.

That leaves only Columbus, Kansas City, San Jose, and Vancouver (oh yeah, and Seattle) as the only MLS cities without an NBA team.

Two of those cities (Seattle and Vancouver) have been homes to NBA franchises in the past and are prime candidates to have them again in the near future.

You are surely wondering why this should happen?

As sports fans we generally cheer for and support jerseys over players. We like players, but our loyalties lie with the team names lying in laundry.

I'm a Cleveland Cavaliers fan. The team has undergone a major personnel overhaul over the past year or so. But I'll remain a fan no matter the names on the roster. I don't really care about LeBron James, Delonte West, or Mo Williams any more because they're not on my team.

Now, what if my favorite team (name, logo, colors) were also attached to a soccer team?

I'd be all over that!

Listen, I've been living in Ohio since I was ten years old. I've never been to a Columbus Crew game and haven't ever watched a full game either. I can't name a single player on the roster, unless Brian McBride is still playing.

But if Dan Gilbert bought the Crew, moved them to Cleveland, changed the colors to wine and gold, and switched the team name to a snappy Cleveland Cavaliers SC (Soccer Club not Football Club), I'd be hooked.

I know that I love those colors and that name. I don't care who the players are. All I care about in the end is the jersey. If I'm a fan of the jersey then I'll be a fan of the guy in it. Cross-promotion would work wonders: factor in soccer tickets as promotions during Cavaliers games.

A move like this would give MLS franchises the financial backing they need to be successful.

But more importantly it would draw in a whole glut of fans who would otherwise not be interested in soccer outside of the World Cup.

I realize that this may just be a crazy idea and probably has very little possibility of happening at this point.

But if it worked in Europe then why wouldn't it work here in America? The MLS has tried to copy them on everything else, so why not one thing?

It could just be the best thing to ever happen to soccer in America.

You can follow me on Twitter @ ClevelandFlack

With the Seattle Sounders recording a 4-3 victory over the Colorado Rapids, the pressure is on Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy to respond when they face the Columbus Crew in league play on Wednesday, July 20 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California.

This will be the first of two matches without the services of Chris Birchall, who was suspended for a rough challenge in a match against the Chicago Fire. Los Angeles are 10-2-9 (39 points), and while they do have a game in hand over the second-place Sounders, they are only ahead by one point.

Potentially, this could be the week where Los Angeles relinquishes the top spot in the overall Major League Soccer standings. Never mind that the Galaxy are coming off a terrible week, with a 3-1 defeat to the Sounders in the U.S. Open Cup and an embarrassing—yet—predictable 4-1 mule—kicking against Real Madrid in the Herbalife World Football Challenge.

In short, while the Galaxy's league—unbeaten streak stands at 12 games, they also have a two—game losing streak for the entire calendar year.

“At the end of the day, we always knew it was going to be a tall order trying to get a result against Real Madrid,” David Beckham told MLSSoccer.com's Luis Bueno on Saturday. “But we got a lot of young players out there, a lot of players who have not played against a Real Madrid team before.

“You know what, they can take a lot from it. They played against some of the best players in the world and one of the best teams in the world and a great historical stadium with a lot of people here.”

But while it has been a learning experience for the Galaxy against Real Madrid, could those lessons be applied on Wednesday against a presumably weaker opponent in the Columbus Crew?

Robert Warzycha's club is 7-5-7 (28 points), good enough for third place in the MLS Eastern Conference, and they have two games in hand over the Galaxy. They have been unbeaten in four out of their last five matches, with three of those being victories.

Last year, at the Home Depot Center on September 11, the Galaxy (with current Ingolstadt striker Edson Buddle) cruised past the Crew 3-1. On Wednesday, LA can expect an improved and determined Columbus outfit.

America's Hardest Working Team is led by Andres Mendoza, who has seven goals to his credit. Emilio Renteria has also contributed in the goals department, with four so far this year. Dilly Duka and Justin Meram are the Crew's main providers, each with two assists.

The Crew's back line is anchored by SuperDraft selection Rich Balchan, Julius James, captain Chad Marshall and Sebastian Miranda. This back line is capable of intercepting Beckham's deliveries in the air and will have to rely on their quickness to disrupt the Galaxy's sequences.

The mid field's X—factors are Emmanuel Ekpo and Eddie Gaven. If they can find Renteria and Mendoza on the counter, Columbus will have a shot at turning the tables.

Goalkeeper William Hesmer has a 7-5-7 record to go with a 70.6 percent save percentage and a 1.06 goals against average on 48 saves.

Galaxy goalkeeper Josh Saunders did not acquit himself well against Seattle and will need an improved performance against the Crew. Saunders has a 4-1-3 record, a 71 percent save percentage and a 1.22 GAA.

Offensively, Landon Donovan and Beckham continue to lead Los Angeles in the goals and assist departments. Donovan has nine goals, while Beckham has eight assists this season.

Beckham has an assortment of other options besides Donovan. Chad Barrett has four goals to his name, while Juan Pablo Angel and Juninho have tallied three goals this year.

Gregg Berhalter, Todd Dunivant, A.J. DeLaGarza and Sean Franklin have had to deal with Omar Gonzalez's absence as a result of a hip pointer sustained in the Galaxy's 2-1 victory at home to the Fire. Without Birchall's presence, the onus will be on the Galaxy's back line to stop Mendoza and Renteria from stretching them too thin.

Watch for the play making ability of Juninho and Miguel Lopez on Wednesday. Birchall's absence means that Lopez, the Argentinean, gets a chance to help string a set of passes in the team's buildups. Juninho, the Brazilian from Sao Paulo, has proven that he can score from long distance, and will need to take a chance if the situation gets too tense for Arena's liking.

Prediction:
I like a defensive battle here on Wednesday, but there will be goals. At Victoria Street last year, Mendoza was the Chicken Thief. He probably will be at it again, but it will still be a familiar result for Galaxy fans. Let's try this.

Los Angeles Galaxy 2, Columbus Crew 1
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. PT/10:30 p.m. ET and will be televised by Fox Sports Prime Ticket.