The goal-scoring arms race continues for Kei Kamara. Kamara’s brace against Colorado not only moved him back to the top of the MLS scoring leaderboard, it propelled Columbus Crew SC to a 2-1 come-from-behind victory at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on Saturday night.
It was the first game in Colorado for the potent Columbus attack of Kamara and Ethan Finlay since the All-Star game, but it was the hosts who showed offensive prowess in the early minutes.
Corner kicks would be Columbus’ Achilles heel early, conceding eight total in the opening stanza. Vicente Sanchez would be the set-up man, putting the Rapids in scoring position with those opportunities. In the 10th minute, Kevin Doyle’s flick from a tight angle was pushed just over the cross bar. Three minutes later, a header from Jared Watts was sent wide of the left post.
Columbus threatened in the 15th minute when Kamara drew Clint Irwin off his line to set up a shot which was sent away from danger with a last ditch clearance from Bobby Burling.
Colorado would be the first to end the stalemate. Sanchez’s free kick was sent in to Burling, who placed a headed effort on target to give Colorado the 1-0 lead. It started an ensuing peppering of shots by Columbus in which Kamara and Federico Higuain both hit the crossbar twice in the span of a minute.
It took under ten minutes into the second half for Columbus to level the score. Tony Tchani found a streaking Kamara down the left side of Colorado’s box and Kamara buried the low shot to even the game at 1-1.
Kamara doubled Crew SC's lead in the 64th minute, when Tchani played a ball over the top to Hector Jimenez who slotted it across the box to Kamara, finishing to give Crew SC a 2-1 lead.
In the 86th minute, Gabriel Torres appeared to give Colorado life with an equalizer on a rebound from Dillon Serna’s shot, but the play was whistled offside.
Things got worse for Colorado in the 90th minute when Axel Sjoberg, making his first start in seven games, was sent off with his second yellow card. Despite five minutes of extra time, the Rapids were unable to find their second goal, losing their second-straight match at home.
Colorado takes to the road next Friday, facing the San Jose Earthquakes in a return to Western Conference action. Columbus will take a break from action next weekend before making a return to MAPFRE Stadium on Aug. 19 against NYC FC.
