After a disappointing 2-1 loss in Montreal, Columbus Crew SC are down a goal heading back to Columbus, but the team isn’t feeling negative after their first playoff match.
“We got that precious away goal, which puts us in a great situation going home,” Wil Trapp told MLSsoccer.com after the match. “Obviously, we wanted to win the game or at least keep it 1-1, but I guess that wasn’t in the cards this evening.
“We just have to move forward. It’s a positive mindset from the group for sure, because those away goals count for a lot. We know that going home to Columbus we have a great shot at winning the game and keeping the clean sheet.”
With both offenses held at bay for much of the second half, it seemed the match was destined to end in a 1-1 draw before a Michael Parkhurst giveaway led to a simple Montreal goal.
But with the away goal, Crew SC simply need a win at home and to give up fewer than two goals. Parkhurst says they’re more than capable.
“It’s frustrating, of course, the way we lose,” he told reporters after the match. “But we had a solid shift tonight. It was a solid performance. We did what we needed to do, as far as getting a goal on the road. That game finishes 1-1 and it’s a perfect result for us. The second goal is ridiculous. But it still puts us in a good position going home. We know that we need to win the game. And if we don’t win at home, we don’t deserve to go on anyway.”
While it was Parkhurst’s mistake that led to the goal, Tony Tchani said the team isn’t blaming individuals.
“You can’t just blame people,” he said. “We’re a team and we all play as a team. No matter what happens, we have to stick together. We have to point fingers at all the players.”
Head Coach Gregg Berhalter said the team came in with the objective to “put [themselves] in position next Sunday at home to advance.”
With the away goal under their belt, he says they achieved that objective.
“We came out to really impose our will on them and I think we did that, for the most part,” he said. “It was obviously a very unlucky second goal. If you walk away from this 1-1, you’re in good shape. If you lose 2-1, you’re still in good shape. So we’re looking at this as a 180-minute contests, and we feel like we’re in good position right now.”
But if the team wants to turn the match-up around in the return trip to Columbus, they’ll need to put the disappointment behind them.
Though he admitted the loss wasn’t easy to deal with, Trapp says the team has to–and will–move on.
“You’re disappointed, but you have to realize that you can’t stay disappointed for long,” he said. “We have to move forward because the next game is a week away. Preparation begins tomorrow and even into tonight. As much as you want to think about it and dwell on it, you can’t.”
