COLUMBUS, Ohio - In Columbus, Major League Soccer's most prolific creator and scorer are producing results.
Columbus Crew SC's Kei Kamara leads the league in goals, while Ethan Finlay tops the charts in assists. And in a 2-1 win over the New York Red Bulls Saturday in MAPFRE Stadium their roles were reversed, as Kamara assisted on Finlay goals for both strikes on the night.
And for Kamara, the goals were a result of an offense firing on all cylinders.
"(It's a) team game, really, a team game," he said. "I told you guys earlier in the year, I was scoring goals and saying what if teams figure me out and find out how to block me scoring goals? That's why I have guys around me that can also score goals."
Kamara now has 12 goals and five assists on the season, while Finlay has five goals to go with 10 assists. The pair have assisted one another on eight of those 17 goals.
Finlay and Kamara both say they're feeling more in sync. Finlay cited a moment in the second half when Kamara played him through on goal after a quick free kick that was whistled back by the referee. Those moments, he says, demonstrate that they're on the same page.
"It was a moment where we just made eye contact," he said. "So it's those types of little things, where we're starting to notice that. ... It's those kind of little innate plays that you're able to make with a guy and just make eye contact and know the body language. That second goal was a great example of that. I knew Kei was going to float to the back post, and I'm just trying to get in there and get a nick on it."
The brace was the second of the season for Finlay. After leading the team in scoring in 2014, he's slowed his goal output this year, but he and Berhalter both say his confidence is high.
He said he's happy with the goals, but stayed focused on the win and the team.
"It's great, but what's more important is that we got the win," he said. "What's nice about it is that we can keep rolling. It's nice to kind of keep that confidence individually. But as a team, I think guys thrive around it. You could tell tonight, after the goals everyone else kind of picks their play up."
As for Kamara, he's just happy to be contributing, and knows he'll be back to scoring soon.
"For me, goals are going to come," he said. "When they don't come, as long as I can work and help the team out and we go home with three points, I'll go home happy."
And in the meantime, he's working on charging up the assist leaderboard, too.
"I'm catching up to Ethan in assists, that's what I'm telling him," he said with a laugh.
