With few chances, Columbus Crew grind out draw at Real Salt Lake; Zawadzki impresses in debut
After taking less than 60 seconds to score in their last road game, the Crew were at the complete opposite end of the offense-generating spectrum Saturday night at Real Salt Lake.
Despite having arguably their worst offensive game of the season, the Crew (4-5-6, 18 pts.) still walked away from Rio Tinto Stadium as only the second team not to have lost when playing Real Salt Lake (8-4-5, 28 pts.) in its home stadium this season, drawing 0-0.
Goalkeeper Eloy Room was tested twice in the second half but kept the ball out of the net.
While the offensive performance wasn't anything to remember, taking a point on the road against the second-place team in the West was a result the Crew were pleased with.
"We play to win every single game that we play,” coach Caleb Porter said. “There's never ever been a game where I've told the guys, 'Let's draw.' Never. Never has that come out of my mouth. It's always play to win. But I think in this circumstance, we'll take the point.”
The Crew were outshot 11-6 and had just two shots on goal, none of which were inside the box.
Injury depleted Columbus Crew needed strong defensive effort
With star playmaker Lucas Zelarayan, as well as forward Erik Hurtado and winger Derrick Etienne Jr. — who both started last game — out due to injury, and winger Kevin Molino out with an illness, the Crew had few attacking options and lacked a player in the middle of the field to drive the attack forward.
Defensively, the Crew were solid through the midfield and did well to limit Real Salt Lake’s opportunities. Captain Jonathan Mensah and starting left back Pedro Santos returned to the lineup after missing the last game with an injury.
“I thought we showed a really good mentality as a team to grind, get a clean sheet,” Porter said. “If there's one disappointment, I felt like the game was a little bit ripe for the taking. I thought we could've been better on set pieces. We missed a lot of service and opportunities in those moments."
With Zelarayan, Hurtado, Etienne and Molino unavailable to play, Porter returned to a 4-3-3 formation and put Luis Diaz and central midfielder James Igbekeme at the wings, while giving rookie homegrown Sean Zawadzki his first MLS start and appearance.
Though Real Salt Lake was only 13th in MLS in expected goals entering the game despite being in second-place in the West, the Crew midfield of Aidan Morris, Darlington Nagbe and Zawadzki disrupted Salt Lake’s attack throughout the game.
The home side had two chances in the first half, when Rubio Rubin hit the post from a tight angle and Justen Glad’s header from the 6-yard box at the far post hit the outside of the net. It wasn’t until the second half that Room was required to make a save against Justin Meram and another in the 69th minute against striker Sergio Cordova.
On a ball that got behind center back Miloš Degenek — the third time that happened on the night — Room charged to the front of the box and met Cordova at the ball almost simultaneously to make enough of a save.
The Crew’s best scoring chance happened in the 58th minute on a perfect cross from Santos. Igbekeme was diving near the 6-yard box at the near post, but the ball was deflected slightly by two Salt Lake defenders to scuff out the Crew’s best chance of the night.
Porter said he thought there were times either Aidan Morris or Darlington Nagbe could have joined the attack to get closer to goal. Though Igbekeme and Diaz had decent games, the Crew lacked much of any threat down the flanks.
But what helped the Crew the most, Porter said, was having Mensah and Santos leading the defense.
“The final third could've been better,” he said, “but I thought the 4-3-3 (formation) and that decision under the circumstances of who was out was the right choice.”
Zawadzki impresses in MLS debut
The most surprising addition came in the form of a player expected to earn some minutes this season but had been mostly delegated to playing with reserve team Crew 2. When Sean Zawadzki made his MLS debut and started on Saturday night against the West’s second-place team on the road, he made the most of the opportunity.
After playing three seasons at Georgetown, Zawadzki joined the Crew as a potential future starter in a few years. He looked the part against Salt Lake.
Zawadzki completed 40-of-44 passes, had three interceptions, two recoveries and one clearance while not being dispossessed once.
"Sean Zawadzki, I thought was extremely comfortable for his debut league game,” Porter said. “Really showed that he's a young up-and-coming player that's going to be the future.”
Zawadzki made a couple nervy passes back to Room, but he largely played under control and did well under pressure. Having Darlington Nagbe and former Academy teammates Aidan Morris around him made it easier, but Zawadzki fit in easily with what Porter wanted out of the midfield.
Given he’s more of a No. 6 midfielder than a No. 8, which play higher up the field and tackle more than keep possession, Zawadzki could be called upon if Nagbe has to miss any time at any point this season. If he played a more traditional No. 8 position, he would be behind Artur, Morris and Igbekeme.
But with several midweek games on the horizon — the Crew play six games in 23 days — and injuries still a factor for the next couple weeks, Zawadzki could be in line for extended minutes.
Porter left Saturday’s match more impressed and confident in the young midfielder.
“It's not easy for a young player to step in,” Porter said. “It's his first professional game for the first team, other than (U.S.) Open Cup. It's not easy to have a mentality and to have confidence and to be, I think, as comfortable in possession and defensively as he was. It gives us really good confidence in him moving forward.”
Man on the match: Pedro Santos, four tackles won, four recoveries, two clearances and one blocked shot in 60 minutes.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Crew grind out point in scoreless draw at Real Salt Lake
