Columbus Crew: Three keys power a win over Chicago Fire
By Daniel Garza
Three key stats from the Columbus Crew’s 2-0 win over the Chicago Fire.
The final Major League Soccer match played at Crew Stadium ended on a happy note for the Columbus Crew. Two goals from Gyasi Zardes propelled the hosts to all three points against the visiting Chicago Fire. The victory extends the Crew’s current winning streak to three matches as they continue to surge up the Eastern Conference table after winning just one of their first five fixtures. Here are three key stats from Saturday night’s win for the Crew.
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Zardes scores first brace of the season
For the second consecutive match, Zardes found the back of the net for the Crew. He did not score in his first five MLS appearances of the current campaign but has done well to help get the Crew victories in his last two appearances. His two-goal performance on Saturday resulted in his first brace of the season and puts him on the path to a fourth consecutive MLS season of ten goals or more.
Goal woes continue for the Fire
For the fifth time in their last six MLS matches, the Fire was held scoreless. They have registered just four goals in eight matches which is currently the worst goal-scoring record in the league. On Saturday, they failed to register a shot on target which made life a lot easier for the Crew. As long as they continue to struggle to find the back of the net, the Fire is going to get further and further away from the top seven places in the table.
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Pedro Santos gets the job done both defensively and offensively
Santos had a fantastic offensive and defensive performance against the Fire. He led all players with seven tackles and also had a notable five clearances during his 78 minutes on the pitch. When it came to offensive production, Santos registered two key passes along with one shot. He received an 8.26 rating from WhoScored for his performance as he ranks only behind Lucas Zelarayan for the highest average rating on the team for players who have made five appearances or more this season.