USL Super-20 Round-up
Thursday, July 21, 2011
By NICHOLAS MURRAY
BRANDON, Fla. – The Columbus Crew Jrs., which took the USL Super-20 Championship a year ago, got off to a good start in their quest for back-to-back titles with a 2-0 victory against the Princeton Soccer Academy thanks to a pair of second-half goals at J.C. Handley Park.
The Crew’s depth proved a major key to the game, although after an up-tempo start from both sides Columbus began to take control, pressing well in midfield and finding space between Princeton’s midfield and back four.
“When we put in a few fresh guys at the half and the game started to slow down, they could keep the tempo going,” Crew Jrs. coach Ian Gordona said. “We were able to find a little bit more room to knock the ball around, so that was helpful for us.”
That extra space paid dividends when Andrew Farrell gave the Crew the lead midway through the second half on a nice individual run that saw him beat his defender to move into the right side of the penalty area before rifling home a low shot into the left corner.
While Princeton mounted a push for an equalizer, seeing a dangerous free kick deflected over the crossbar and the ensuing corner pinball around in the penalty area before it was cleared, the Crew finished off the game with a beautiful move down the right that saw Brian McGue’s low cross flicked home at the near post by Ben Speas.
“The second one was textbook,” Gordona said. “A couple of combinations on the flank and a good service and good near-post run that we’ve been teaching them since they were age 12 to make and Ben was able to get there and put a flick on it, very good goal.”
WESTCHESTER FLAMES 1, FASA 0: Westchester set up a crucial match with the Crew Jrs. as Matheus Gomes’ second-half goal gave the Flames victory against FASA in Group B’s other match. Columbus and Westchester will meet on Friday night with the winner putting itself in the driver’s seat for a place in Saturday night’s semifinals.