Christian Lautenschleger/ The LanternColumbus Crew midfielder Eddie Gaven (12) in the first half against Kansas City. The Crew won the two-leg match 3-1 the Wizards.
The Columbus Crew are one game away from the MLS Cup final after a 2-0 victory over the Kansas City Wizards on Saturday night.
Coming into the second of a two-game total goals aggregate series, the Crew was looking to advance in the MLS playoffs for the first time since 2002. Thanks to a stoppage time goal by forward Steven Lenhart, the Crew escaped the first leg tied 1-1 in Kansas City on Nov. 1.
“If Kansas City had won the first game, they probably would have played differently,” Coach Sigi Schmid said.
Goals by midfielders Brad Evans and Robbie Rogers ensured the Crew a 3-1 total goals series win and a Thursday night match-up with the Chicago Fire in the Eastern Conference final.
The Crew are 11-2-2 at home and 14-0 when scoring first this season. In the seventh minute, Crew midfielder Brian Caroll chipped a pass over the Wizards defense to Evans. As Kevin Hartman came out to challenge, Evans flicked the ball over the head of the Wizards goalkeeper into the right corner of the goal.
Evans’ goal redeemed him of a bad pass in game one that set up the Wizards’ only goal.
“I guess I kind of gave it up last week,” Evans said. “It was good to restore some confidence and an early lead.”
The Wizards almost notched an equalizer in the 15th minute when midfielder Kevin Souter’s pass fell to a wide-open Abe Thompson, but goalkeeper William Hesmer recovered to make a diving save on the tap-in from six yards out. Hesmer, a MLS Goalkeeper of the Year finalist, recorded his 11th shutout of the season.
The Crew put the game away in the 57th minute when forward Alejandro Moreno played a ball across the box to a waiting Rogers who finished a left-footed shot into the near post.
The defense, anchored by MLS Defender of the Year Chad Marshall, was steady in warding off opportunities from Kansas City.
Marshall and co. will have their hands full with the Fire’s offense, which features former Mexican international star Cuauhtemoc Blanco as well as forwards Chris Rolfe and Brian McBride.
Thursday’s match will mark the homecoming of former Crew forward McBride, who scored 62 goals in his eight seasons in Columbus before leaving for Fulham of the English Premier League in 2004.
McBride signed with the MLS in July and joined his hometown Fire to finish out his illustrious playing career.
Crew captain Frankie Hejduk anticipates a battle against the Fire.
“There will be a lot of fouls and hard tackles,” he said. “We’re expecting them to come all out.”
The Crew tied the Fire in both meetings this season and will rely on their home-field-advantage to propel the black and gold to their first appearance in an MLS cup final.
“This is what we played for all season, so we could have this game here,” Schmid said.
Tyler Gillespie can be reached at [email protected].
