Immediately following Saturday night’s match, Columbus Crew head coach Henrik Rydström said he was “burning up inside,” as the Black & Gold conceded in stoppage time to lose, 1-0, to Nashville SC at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field.
But his message wasn’t one of hopelessness – just an acknowledgement that the club had been punished for a late mistake that prevented Columbus from earning a point.
“I'm like burning up inside, and I know the players do the same,” the Swede said. “When you concede so late… We would have been disappointed with nil-nil, and then you concede and you don't get anything. But it's this balance between looking at the result and then still seeing the bigger picture. The Crew had some problems last season; the end of the season was a bit disappointing. It's not solved by itself just because you're off that period the players were.
“We came into this season with a little bit of some issues. We haven't solved them yet. You saw the first games we had some strange counterattack goals against us. That was better against Chicago. Now it was even better. …It looked quite good for maybe 70-75 minutes but not for 90 minutes. Right now, we get punished for it.”
The match wasn’t lacking in promising, positive moments, though.
The Crew thought they led after 18 minutes when 20-year-old Taha Habroune put the home side in front thanks to following through a Max Arfsten shot that hit the post. However, the goal was disallowed due to offside. Arfsten then nearly gave the Crew the lead in first-half stoppage time, but his long-range strike rattled the cross bar.
“Definitely frustrating,” the USMNT midfielder said. “I think we all feel that we need to create more quality chances on offense and just get ourselves into more dangerous situations and positions and yeah, it's been frustrating. I think it's just a work in progress, and there's nothing we can do besides keep working and just try to improve on that end.”
Big picture, though, was Saturday night offered a glimpse of what the Black & Gold will resemble in the future. André Gomes, the former Portugal National Team midfielder, made his Columbus debut and played 63 minutes in his first match available in the lineup. (He had been sidelined awaiting visa approval.)
Gomes was a welcomed addition, and the 32-year-old’s quality was on display immediately.
“Unfortunately, the result wasn't what we expected, what we wanted and needed. But yeah, I felt good,” Gomes said. “I felt the team was comfortable and confident as well. I think we did a decent game. We will take the best from out of the game to keep going and looking forward for the future.”
While fans might think his arrival helps fill the void of former captain Darlington Nagbe, the former Barcelona and Everton player dismissed the comparisons.
“I think there's no comparison in the sense of he was really, really important for the club, with an amazing history and everything,” Gomes said of Nagbe. “He was the captain as well. So, in that sense, nobody can come and fill those shoes. Like I said, in my situation personally, like I have my good things and bad things, like any other player, there's no perfection. I try to be as perfect as possible, but I'm here to help the team with the best I can. I want to keep growing with the team for the next games, and hopefully just helping to change the situation right now.”
The next chance for the Black & Gold to “change the situation” arrives next Saturday afternoon when the club faces Toronto FC in the Trillium Cup. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
The Crew return to ScottsMiracle-Gro Field on Apr. 12, when the side hosts Orlando City SC.
