The Columbus Crew managed a late 1-1 draw with New York City FC on Saturday night in front of gold-clad Lower.com Field. But that was far from the story of the game. Instead, the talk since the match ended hasn’t been about the play on the field but rather the center referee’s performance.

For a quick recap, referee Sergii Boiko gave out 10 yellow cards, which included a second yellow that turned into a red card for forward Cucho Hernandez as well as straight red cards to Black & Gold head coach Wilfried Nancy and technical staff member Federico Pizzuto. Nancy was then suspended for an addition game and Pizzuto for two more games by the MLS Disciplinary Committee.

Plenty has been said about the officiating, so this piece will focus more on the play on the field. So let’s dive into What We Learned.

The Crew needs true defenders on the backline

Since the end of May, the Black & Gold have been playing with a makeshift backline. This group has included fullbacks Malte Amundsen and Steven Moreira, who have been deployed as left and center backs, respectively, while midfielder Sean Zawadzki has been playing as the right center back. Despite their lack of experience in these positions, the group has been somewhat effective, managing a 5-0-3 record during this period.

However, there have been noticeable challenges in defending with a makeshift backline. Columbus has conceded 11 goals in the team’s last seven and a half matches, which has resulted in the team slipping to 10th place in MLS in terms of goals allowed.

The reason for this improvised backline was the absence of traditional center backs Gustavo Vallecilla and Milos Degenek due to injuries. Both players are now back and should play a more significant role going forward. Additionally, the newly-acquired signing, Yevhen Cheberko, should also be involved more.

Despite not fielding a traditional striker, City managed to exploit the defensive vulnerabilities of the Black & Gold repeatedly. The Pigeons recorded 15 shots, with nine of them on target. It was only thanks to the efforts of goalkeeper Patrick Schulte, whom we will discuss later, that more goals weren’t conceded.

Throughout the match, City consistently found ways to penetrate the Columbus backline, as both Moreira and Zawadzki struggled to effectively mark their opponents. Amundsen was often caught too centrally, leaving him unable to recover when faced with field-switching balls such as in the 61st minute when NYCFC had a golden opportunity to score if not for Gabriel Pereira’s slip in the penalty box. Amundsen was also unable to deal with the initial ball that led to City’s goal, which could have been prevented if properly cleared or defended.

While Degenek’s return on Wednesday against Inter Miami wasn’t outstanding, he had been performing well prior to his injury in late April. In fact, the backline consisting of Vallecilla, Degenek and Moreira, supported by competent wing backs, had developed some chemistry and had been performing satisfactorily. When the team is fully fit, this should be the preferred defensive lineup, along with Cheberko and Josh Williams.

Schutle’s big day

For a significant portion of the season, it appeared that Schulte was only holding the No. 1 goalkeeper position for the Crew temporarily, filling in for Eloy Room during his injury or international duty. However, after 19 games and a 9-5-5 record, there is no doubt about who the Black & Gold’s starting goalkeeper is for the remainder of the season and beyond.

If there were any doubts about Schulte’s abilities, who has proven to be a proficient sweeper ‘keeper and continues to develop in playing with his feet, those were dispelled in the match against City. Schulte matched his career high with eight saves, keeping Columbus in the game despite the backline delivering one of their poorest performances of the year.

It wasn’t just the number of saves that stood out, but the manner in which Schulte made them. He displayed quick reactions to a strike in the penalty box early in the match. He was proactive in coming off his line and making himself big when the Pigeons got in behind the backline. He even showcased impressive speed in recovering when NYCFC attempted a chip while he was far off his line.

What was perhaps most impressive was Schulte’s improvement in stepping up and either collecting or clearing crosses played into the 18-yard box, an aspect of his game that had been problematic throughout the season. This is an issue he specifically worked on with Nancy last week, and it showed positive results.

Wilfried Nancy working with #Crew96  goalkeeper Patrick Schulte on dealing with crosses/corner kicks. pic.twitter.com/TJ84Z4KK9D

— Patrick Murphy (@_Pat_Murphy) July 6, 2023

It’s worth noting that Schulte is still a young goalkeeper, in only his second professional season and his first with the first team, so occasional mistakes are to be expected. However, he has consistently demonstrated an ability to learn from those mistakes swiftly and make improvements.

Regarding Room, my understanding is that the player desires regular playing time and isn’t entirely satisfied with how the season has unfolded with the Crew. Room obtained his Green Card before the season began, indicating his intention to remain with the team and be the No. 1 goalkeeper. However, despite his aspirations, Room has continued to train diligently when he’s been healthy and hasn’t caused any issues within the team. While there have been reports of interest from Vitesse, Room’s former club in Holland, according to the individuals I’ve spoken with, there has been no contact between the club and the Black & Gold and a transfer away is not imminent.

The unsung heroes

When the 2023 season began for Columbus, there were several players that fans expected to make significant contributions throughout the year. Lucas Zelarayan, Cucho Hernandez and Darlington Nagbe were all strong candidates, and they have indeed delivered. However, if anyone had predicted that Christian Ramirez and Sean Zawadzki would combine for 11 goals and three assists, they should consider playing the lottery.

Ramirez’s signing in mid-January didn’t generate much excitement. While he was viewed as a reliable backup striker option to compete with the young Jacen Russell-Rowe and provide competition for Hernandez, his record of 35 goals in 105 MLS appearances didn’t make him an obvious choice to start every game.

Nevertheless, Ramirez gradually earned an important role within the Crew side, capitalizing on the opportunity presented when Hernandez was sidelined with an injury. His eight goals are currently tied with Zelarayan for the highest tally on the team, and he ranks fifth on the roster with three assists. Ramirez has showcased his ability to find open spaces when defenders focus on Hernandez and Zelarayan, and he has impressively converted over 26 percent of his shots into goals, a better conversion rate than either Hernandez or Zelarayan.

In Saturday night’s match, Ramirez was relatively quiet until he received a pass from wing back Luis Diaz. He did an excellent job holding off his defender and smartly laying the ball off. The recipient of Ramirez’s pass was Zawadzki, who had moved up into his more natural central midfield role. While there was a deflection that aided his shot, Zawadzki once again demonstrated his knack for being in the right place at the right time and put in a commendable effort to equalize.

Although Zawadzki had some positive moments last season when he featured for the first team, including a memorable goal against Toronto FC, he wasn’t expected to be more than a reserve midfielder for the Black & Gold this year. With Nagbe and Aidan Morris forming a clear partnership in central midfield, there appeared to be limited opportunities for the 23-year-old Homegrown product.

However, Zawadzki seized the chance to contribute when Columbus faced defensive challenges and required assistance in the backline. His comfort and skill on the ball made him a suitable emergency option in Nancy’s three-man defense, despite some occasional defensive struggles. Although Morris has returned to the team following international duty and a personal leave of absence, Nancy now has a player in Zawadzki whom she can rely on to make an impact.