Player ratings: Columbus Crew v Minnesota United FC

Photo credit: Daniel Herlensky/Crew SC Communications

Columbus Crew SC

• Zack Steffen – 6/10. Steffen had little to do other than pull the ball out of the net. Twice. Could not have stopped the two goals, and did well to recover from a nasty head collision late in the first half.
• Harrison Afful – 7/10. Good getting forward in the first half. Movement troubled Minnesota initially. Would’ve got higher score, but his poor clearance resulted in 2nd goal for Minnesota.
• Gaston Sauro – 7/10. Strong performance, won two important tackles in the first half. Subbed off at 68′ and Crew defense looked shaky after.
• Josh Williams – 6/10. Strong first half, but struggled against high-balls and crosses. Unable to organize defense in the absence of Sauro.
• Milton Valenzuela – 8/10 – Excellent assist for first goal and was a threat throughout down the left side. Showed an ability to cut inside, too, which ensured Minnesota could not read his runs easily. Created two chances through the game and had 89 touches on the ball; second only to Trapp.
• Federico Higuain – 8/10. Linked the play very well. An impossible player to mark for the opposition, and his runs into space allowed him the time on the ball to create three chances. Subbed Off at 76′, replaced by Mullins.
• Niko Hansen – 7/10. Hansen found himself in space as Minnesota’s defense congregated around Higuain. Hansen’s shooting was wayward (5 shots, 1 on target), but he also created a couple of chances, including in the buildup to the winning goal.
• Artur – 6/10. An unremarkable game by Artur. Had one shot on goal and an 82% pass completion.
• Justin Meram – 6/10. Meram started off the game brightly but faded after the rain delay. Best moments were spreading the ball to Valenzuela on the overlap. Taken off for Pedro Santos
• Wil Trapp – 8/10. Trapp showed his increasing maturity on the pitch as he dropped deep and linked the play through the midfield. Trapp had 94 touches — the most of any player on the pitch — with a 92.7% pass completion rate. Trapp also completed three tackles.
• Gyasi Zardes – 9/10. Some fortune for his second and third goals, but deserves the match-ball and was a threat throughout with his runs. After the game, Trapp revealed that Gregg Berhalter had challenged Zardes to show his athleticism during this game.
• Pedro Santos – 6/10. Solid performance off the bench, including a shot on target and an excellent switch of flanks.
• Lalas Abubakar – 5/10. On in 68′ for Sauro. Looked at fault for Minnesota goal and found himself out of position on two other occasions.

Minnesota United FC

• Matthew Lampson – 5/10. At fault for the second goal, Lampson let in three tonight. Although, he did make three saves.
• Michael Boxall – 6/10. Boxall found himself dragged out of position by Higuain and never looked settled tonight.
• Eric Miller – 6/10. Miller did a good job of keeping Meram quiet, but had an unremarkable game going forward.
• Brent Kallman – 5/10. Troubled by the movement of Zardes and Higuain in particular. Out-jumped by Zardes for first goal. Substituted by Wyatt Omsberg.
• Francisco Calvo – 8/10. Defensively solid, and scored both of Minnesota’s goals. The first off a set piece in 68th minute. The second off of an error in the 2nd half.
• Rasmus Schuller – 6/10. Schuller was untidy with his passing tonight, turning over the ball a few times in the middle third of the pitch.
• Collin Martin – 7/10. The better of the holding midfield duo, Martin kept the play simple, and played short-passes to Quintero and Fernando Bob, keeping the game ticking over.
• Darwin Quintero – 8/10. Worked tirelessly to stretch Columbus’ backline. Assisted for goal.
• Fernando Bob – 7/10. Playing as the deepest of three center midfielders, Bob had the unenviable task of picking up Higuain. Bob’s passing was tidy and he ended the game with a 95.7% passing accuracy, the highest for any player on the pitch.
• Miguel Ibarra – 6/10. Ibarra had a quiet game by his high standards.
• Angelo Rodriguez – 8/10. Turned the Crew center backs in a couple of occasions. Looked the most likely out of Minnesota’s players to score until an injury resulted in Rodriguez’s substitution.
• Mario Ibarra – 6/10. An unremarkable match.
• Abu Danladi – 6/10. Had a shot on goal, but misplaced simple passes in attacking positions, including a 4-v-3 counterattack.
• Wyatt Omsberg – 6/10. Did not influence game enough.

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