Columbus Crew SC 1, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 | 2018 MLS Match Recap

Dylan Butler

Booed on every touch by Columbus Crew SC fans, Kei Kamara scored the winner on a triumphant return to Columbus to lift the Vancouver Whitecaps FC to a 2-1 win over his former club at MAPFRE Stadium Saturday afternoon.

Kamara beat Wil Trapp to a well-weighted Felipe cross and headed past Zack Steffen in the 78th minute to cap the Whitecaps comeback. It was his third goal of the season, 101st in his career and sixth in 15 all-time matches against Crew SC (3-1-1), who suffered their first loss of the season.

The goal came just after Alphonso Davies had a goal called back following Video Review after it was determined he handled a Kamara pass before a rampaging run at goal.

Gyasi Zardes scored his fourth goal of the season just before the half-hour mark to put Crew SC in front, 1-0. Vancouver goalkeeper Stefan Marinovic dove to push aside a long-distance Pedro Santos attempt. But he spilled it directly to Zardes, who easily tapped in the game’s first goal.

The road warrior Brek Shea leveled for Vancouver (3-1-1) in the 51st minute, smashing a ball that came off the hands of Steffen, who challenged a Bernie Ibini-Isel cross. It was Shea’s second goal of the season — both coming away from BC Place.

Artur had a golden chance to equalize when he latched onto a Federico Higuain corner, but he put his glancing header off the crossbar.

Goals

29’ — CLB — Gyasi Zardes | WATCH
51’ — VAN — Brek Shea | WATCH
78’ — VAN — Kei Kamara | WATCH

Three Things

THE BIG PICTURE: Through five games of the season, Carl Robinson is writing the blueprint to getting results away from home. They did it at BBVA Compass Stadium, where the Houston Dynamo lost once last year, and they did it again at MAPFRE, where Crew SC won 12 times in 2017.
MOMENT OF THE MATCH: Kamara talked about how special it is to return to Columbus in the lead up to the match and he provided its seminal moment, getting his head on a perfect service by Felipe for what proved to be the late winner.
MAN OF THE MATCH: The glory goes to Kamara for netting the winner, but Felipe was an absolute beast in central midfield for the visitors. He threatened with every service and helped silence Higuain, one of the league’s top playmakers.