Welcome to the Anatomy of a Goal, where each week we dissect one goal (or near goal) from a previous Columbus Crew match. For match 19 of the 2023 MLS season, we take a look at Christian Ramirez’s 20th minute goal that put the Crew up 1-0 on Nashville SC and set them on pace for a 2-0 win.
Here’s a look at Ramirez’s seventh goal of the MLS season.
The Black & Gold returned to Columbus on the back of a disappointing draw at New York City FC that featured a 94th minute leveler by the home side and brought back painful memories from last season. Against a Nashville team, that had just lost a midweek road match, the Crew would have to forget about the prior game to keep pace in a crowded Eastern Conference. While Columbus had a full week off between matches, the team was without the services of midfeidlerr Aidan Morris, who is playing with the United States Men’s National Team in the Gold Cup.
The Black & Gold’s first goal of the match begins with a Nashville freekick near midfield. 2022 MLS MVP Hany Mukhtar lines up the kick.
Mukhtar picks out a spot just inside the 18-yard line and hits the ball into the mixer.
Crew midfielder Darlington Nagbe jumps up to win the header but clears the ball toward Nashville’s Alex Muyl rather than outside the penalty box.
Muyl prepares to receive the ball with little defensive pressure.
The right wing back receives Nagbe’s attempted clearance and fires a shot toward Black & Gold goalkeeper Patrick Schulte.
Schulte easily stops Muyl’s shot. Note the position of Ramirez in the 18-yard box and Zelarayan about 30 yards away from the goal. Zelarayan and Ramirez will combine for the goal here, which means they’ll make runs from deep in their own territory to quickly take advantage of Nashville’s placement up the field.
Schulte waits for Zelarayan to make a run down the field and then hurls a long throw past midfield. Nashville defender Brian Anunga attempts to keep pace with Zelarayan while Ramirez trails just behind.
Zelarayan overruns Schulte’s throw giving Anunga a chance to win a headed clearance.
Anunga isn’t able to clear the ball and instead hits a glancing header toward his feet.
Zelarayan and Anunga jostle for position and Anunga ends up toppling to the ground.
Zelarayan wins the ball back and sets off toward the Nashville goal.
The Crew attack is now in full motion. Ramirez runs across the face of Zelarayan, moving from his left to his right, while forward Cucho Hernandez and midfielder Alexandru Matan both flank the Black & Gold’s No. 10.
Zelarayan approaches the top of the goal box and has four options. He can play a pass wide to an unmarked Matan, try a quick through pass forward to Ramirez, continue carrying the ball toward the goal or play a pass wide to an unmarked Hernandez.
Just as Zelarayan prepares to make a decision, Muyl sticks a foot in and sends the ball forward. Nashville gave a half-hearted plea for an offside call following this goal but, as you can see here, the ball is played directly to Ramirez from Muyl but would have been onside even if instead played by Zelarayan.
Muyl’s redirection of the ball carries forward right into the path of Ramirez.
Ramirez takes a few touches to gain control of the ball before finding himself in position to take a shot on goal.
The striker fires in a shot to the right of Joe Willis.
Willis dives toward the ball but can only watch as the ball flies past him…
…into the back of the net!
Findings:
- This was one of the luckier goals of the season for Columbus. Schulte’s initial pass failed to reach Zelarayan but the attacker was able to win possession back. Subsequently, Zelarayan is dispossessed but the ball is directed right into the path of Ramirez. Lucky goals still count.
- Luck aside, this is a well-run play by the Crew. Schulte recognizes the counter attack opportunity and quickly makes a play. Meanwhile, Hernandez, Ramirez and Matan all make long runs from their own penalty box to create a significant mismatch on the attacking end.
- Ramirez just keeps scoring. The offseason addition tallied his seventh goal of the season. Brought on as a backup striker and spot starter, Ramirez has continued to make the case that he needs to be in the starting lineup.
MASSIVE REPORT 