Welcome to the Anatomy of a Goal, where following each match we dissect one goal (or near goal) from a previous Columbus Crew contest. For the ninth match of the 2024 MLS season, we look at Steven Moreira’s 74th-minute goal that leveled the game and rescued a home point for the Crew on Saturday night.
Here is a look at the fantastic goal from Moreira.
Columbus took the field against their old foes, the Portland Timbers, on the heels of five straight draws and no wins since March 16. The Timbers took the lead early but the Black & Gold were able to fight back with a Cucho Hernandez goal early in the second half. Hernandez had a penalty shout that was not given and Portland used the Crew’s lack of focus to retake their lead. As the match dwindled, Columbus needed a bit of magic to gab the match-leveler.
Moreira’s goal begins with Mohamed Farsi picking up an errant Timbers’ pass deep in the Black & Gold’s defensive territory. Darion Asprilla gives chase but Farsi is able to easily pick up the ball.
Farsi plays a short pass to Moreira who eyes Darlington Nagbe dropping back into a supportive position.
Moreira quickly plays the ball forward to Nagbe.
Nagbe takes a touch to turn the ball upfield and finds Diego Rossi with his second touch.
Rossi receives the ball and takes a touch forward to survey the Portland Timbers’ defensive shape.
The winger resets possession back to Nagbe and continues up the field.
Nagbe collects the ball and shifts the attack over to Rudy Camacho.
Camacho then plays a first-touch pass forward to left center-back Malte Amundsen.
Amundsen takes a touch on the ball and finds himself with four options: 1. a pass up the sideline to Yaw Yeboah; 2. continue to carry the ball forward; 3. a square pass to Nagbe; or, 4. a quick drop to Aidan Morris.
The Danish defender plays a quick pass up the flank to Yeboah . . .
. . . who uses his first touch to drop the ball back to Amundsen.
Amundsen makes his own first-touch pass toward Morris.
Morris takes a few touches forward and plays the ball right to Amundsen.
Amundsen spots Cucho Hernandez and hits a first-touch pass toward the striker.
Hernandez is taken down by Juan Mosquera and swarmed by Diego Chara.
Somehow, Hernandez regains his balance and slides the ball over to Jacen Russell-Rowe.
Russell-Rowe receives the ball and has three immediate options: 1. a diagonal pass back to Hernandez; 2. attempt to carry the ball into the goal box; or, 3. a square pass to Rossi.
Before Russell-Rowe can make a decision the ball is tackled away by Kamal Miller.
Miller keeps the ball while on the ground and touches a pass ahead toward Cristhian Paredes.
Paredes chases the ball as Amundsen sprints in to provide defensive cover.
The Timbers’ midfielder just beats Amundsen to the ball but ends up sending the ball right to the Black & Gold defender.
Amundsen uses his first touch to redirect the ball back toward Yeboah.
Yeboah collects the ball and drops it back to Morris.
Morris picks up his head and sees five options: 1. a pass ahead to Russell-Rowe; 2. a long ball forward to Rossi; 3. a square pass to Moreira; 4. a lay-off to Nagbe; or, 5. continue to carry the ball.
The young midfielder spies an unmarked Moreira and hits a pass right to him.
Moreira opens his hips and uses his first touch to send the ball toward the goal.
With his second touch, Moreira must decide among five options: 1. a diagonal pass to Russell-Rowe; 2. a long shot on goal; 3. a quick touch forward to Rossi; 4. carry the ball forward; or, 5. a diagonal pass to Farsi.
With the ball teed up perfectly, Moreira hits a laser beam toward James Pantemis’s goal.
Pantemis is slightly blocked from getting an eye on Moreira’s shot but still picks up the ball as it leaves the right center-back’s foot.
Pantemis dives toward the ball but can only watch as it soars past him . . .
. . . into the back of the net!
Findings:
- This goal is the direct result of the Crew sticking with the play even after losing the ball. Portland should have stopped this attack on at least two occasions but Columbus jumped to counter-press and was able to quickly win the ball back.
- With the ball in the Timbers’ defensive third, the Black & Gold play short quick passes in hopes of unlocking the defense. Portland continue to drop deep leaving Moreira wide open near the top of the goal-box.
- Despite the good build-up, this goal is the direct result of Moreira hitting a spectacular shot right into the upper 90 of the goal. No goalkeeper in the world would have made a save in that situation.
MASSIVE REPORT 