Crew Hold off Burn, 2-1
August 23, 2003 - Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release
SOUTHLAKE, Texas - The Columbus Crew jumped out to a two-goal lead, then grimly held on against a 10-man Dallas Burn before ending their seven-match winless streak and moving into fourth place in the Eastern Conference with a 2-1 victory on Saturday night at Dragon Stadium.
After Chad Deering was sent off after just 28 minutes, Edson Buddle gave the Crew (6-9-6, 23 pts.) the lead just before the halftime break, then Ross Paule doubled it in the 61st minute direct from a freekick. But Bobby Rhine set the stage for tense final period when he scored with 15 minutes left, but the Burn (4-13-4, 16 pts.) couldn't win for the second consecutive match after snapping a four-match losing streak.
Once again, Dallas coach Mike Jeffries started his speedy strike pair of Toni Nhleko and Eddie Johnson, and their pace nearly caught out the Crew defense on a few occasions.
After just four minutes Nhleko was put in behind the Columbus back four, but flashed his shot just wide, then minutes later he was just inches away from turning home a Joselito Vaca effort from a tight angle on the right. Nhleko then raced through the Crew center backs before again shooting wide.
But before a half hour was played, the home side was already a man down. Deering had been booked after just nine minutes when he whacked Crew midfielder Kyle Martino from behind, then after coming in late in a heading duel with Duncan Oughton in the 28th minute, referee Kevin Stott made his no hesitation in showing him a second yellow card and resulting red.
With the man advantage and Brian McBride back in the lineup for the first time in five matches after suffering a fractured orbital bone while on national team duty, the Columbus attack began to find some rhythm, but did little to create clear chances from the dominance in possession until taking the lead just before the interval.
Still, the goal was somewhat surprising, a McBride cross from the right corner flying over everyone in the box before collected by Fredy Garcia at the back corner of the six. He hooked a low shot-cum-cross across the face of goal, Buddle flashing in to side-foot home into the roof of the goal.
Buddle has scored in his each of the last four Columbus league matches - and has six goals in the last five matches in all competitions - all since regaining his starting spot after being hampered by a hamstring injury suffered in April.
Paule then seemingly put the game away just after the hour with his third goal of the season direct from a freekick. McBride won a foul on the edge of the area after he was pushed over with his back to goal, then created a yard of space for Paule to rifle his shot through at the side of the wall.
D.J. Countess kept the Burn close with a pair of fine saves, first smothering bravely at the feet of Buddle, then turning aside a well-struck long-range effort from Oughton. That gave his side a platform to build some late heroics.
Substitute Rhine brought Dallas back to within a goal in the 75th minute, hitting an absolute cracker as he moved away from goal along the top of the area, powering an unstoppable drive past Crew 'keeper Jon Busch into the upper left corner.
That gave the home side a shot of life and another substitute, Ali Curtis, making his first appearance with Dallas after his acquisition from D.C. United, ripped a great shot on the turn that Busch did well to tip around the post 10 minutes from time. Yet in the end it was too big a mountain to climb for Dallas.
The Columbus victory, along with New England's loss earlier on Saturday, moved the Crew one point ahead of the Revolution in the East as they play host to Kansas City next Sunday (7:30 p.m. ET). Dallas travels to The Home Depot Center next Saturday to face the Galaxy (10 p.m. ET; ESPN2 tape-delay at 2 a.m. ET) - the team now 10 points ahead of the Burn in the Western Conference standings.
MLSnet.com Man of the Match: Brian McBride (Columbus Crew)
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