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 20 of the 2023 MLS season, we take a look at Cucho Hernandez’s 19th minute goal that gave the Crew a 1-0 lead as part of the team’s 2-1 win against the New York Red Bulls in Columbus on Saturday.
Here’s a look at Hernandez’s spectacular goal.
Entering Saturday’s match, the Black & Gold found themselves in the middle of a five-match unbeaten streak, having won four of those five games. The previous match between these two teams in New Jersey was one Columbus will want to forget. The Red Bulls out-shot the Crew 15-5 in that match and cruised to a 2-1 victory that had many wondering if the Black & Gold might be in for a difficult season. Fortunately, that hasn’t happened and Columbus is in the middle of the MLS Cup playoff standings while the Red Bulls are looking up at the rest of the Eastern Conference.
Hernandez’s goal begins with a free kick about 50 yards from New York’s goal.
Playmaker Lucas Zelarayan takes the kick and plays a long pass out toward wing back Yaw Yeboah on the left flank.
Yeboah easily receives the ball and has four options. He can carry the ball toward the goal, cross the ball into the penalty box where Hernandez and fellow forward Christian Ramirez are waiting, play a diagonal pass back to midfielder Darlington Nagbe or hit a long drop pass to left center back Malte Amundsen.
Yeboah takes a few stepovers before dropping the ball back to Amundsen.
Amundsen prepares to receive the ball as forward Elias Manoel applies heavy pressure.
The Danish defender keeps his composure and executes a sloppy, but effective, Cruyff turn to retain possession and leave Manoel behind.
Amundsen finds himself with space to work and four options. He can carry the ball toward the goal, play a pass forward to Hernandez, try a long, field-switching pass to wing back Mohamed Farsi or play a quick touch pass to Nagbe.
Columbus’ left center back makes the safe past and quickly finds Nagbe.
Nagbe now finds himself with fives options. He can play a pass back to Amunsden, carry the ball forward, try a long pass forward to Hernandez, hit a diagonal pass to center back Sean Zawadzki or a drop pass to center back Steven Moreira.
Nagbe goes with the safe option and plays a long drop back to Moreira.
Moreira has time to carry the ball forward and does until he approaches the defense and must decide among seven options. He can play a diagonal drop pass to Amundsen, try a square pass to Nagbe, carry the ball forward, play a short pass ahead to Zawadzki, knock a long pass forward to Ramirez, play a ball up the right flank toward Alexandru Matan or attempt a short pass to Farsi.
Moreira hits a short pass ahead to Farsi who has support from Ramirez.
Farsi prepares to receive the ball under pressure and hits a first-touch pass to Ramirez.
Ramirez takes one touch to collect the ball and then hits a quick pass out to Matan.
New York’s Kyle Duncan steps over to defend Matan leaving, the midfielder with four options. He can attempt to beat Duncan off the dribble, play cross the ball into the penalty box toward Hernandez, make a square pass to Zawadzki or hit a touch pass to Farsi.
Matan hesitates on the ball and then uses his pace to get around Duncan.
Matan carries the ball into the 18-yard box where he must decide whether to play a quick cross to Hernandez, play a cut-back pass to Ramirez or try a short touch pass to Farsi.
The young attacker picks out Hernandez and hits a low cross right to the striker’s feet.
Hernandez prepares to receive the ball but has his back toward the goal. He will either have to collect the ball and then turn or he will have to attempt an audacious back heel flick to get a quick shot off.
Of course, Hernandez opts for the spectacular and uses his right back heel to redirect the ball toward the goal.
Hernandez’s shot slots between Carlos Coronel and the goal…
…into the back of the net!
Findings:
- Patience in the attack has been the mantra for the Black & Gold since the Gregg Berhalter era. Head coach Wilfried Nancy has also stressed patience in attack but has pushed the team to be brave and make decisive attacking moves. Here you see the Crew dropping the ball all the way back to the center backs but the goal comes from a brave, decisive attacking move when Matan decides to take on Duncan and then hits a perfect pass to Hernandez.
- The combination between Farsi and Ramirez to unlock Matan is some excellent interplay between the wing-back and forward.
- Hernandez seems to have found his scoring touch. This audacious shot is exactly why he is one of the best strikers in MLS.
MASSIVE REPORT 
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