With a dominant win against an in-state rival in the rearview mirror and a grueling three-game stretch on the horizon, Columbus Crew fans may have been worried that a game against a Toronto FC team residing near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings might be a trap. But 31 shots later, the Crew left Lower.com Field with a 2-0 win on Saturday night.

This match which saw the incorporation of two new starters acquired during the summer transfer window. And while it wasn’t the most clinical game for the Black & Gold, the team’s persistence and patience, along with the help of the crossbar, put Columbus one point out of second place in the Eastern Conference. 

Here’s how the Crew player’s performed in this game. 

Starters

Patrick Schulte (8.0) – It’s not a bad day at the office when a goalkeeper records his first back-to-back shutouts and first assist. Schulte did both against Toronto, although it took the help of the crossbar in the 25th minute.  The rest of the night was fairly comfortable for Schulte who made three saves in the gamme.

Steven Moreira (7.0) – It was yet another solid game for Moreira who worked with another new center back partner. Constantly looking to get involved on both offense and defense, Moreira had two key passes and added an interception, a clearance and a blocked shot to round out the evening. He did get beat by TFC’s Cassius Mailula in the 65th minute due to bad positioning but overall Moreira did well to help earn the shutout. 

Rudy Camacho (6.0) – It was a game of highs and lows for Columbus’ new center back. On one hand, he completed 35/36 of his passes in the first half, ending the game with a team-high 97.1% passing accuracy. He even recorded a shot. But Camacho also had shaky moments, like in the fifth minute when he got bodied off the ball by Toronto forward CJ Sapong. He also failed to stop a cross which led to the visitor’s best scoring opportunity on the evening. It summed up Camcho’s evening in that he led the team in both clearances (5) and fouls (4).

Malte Amundsen (7.5) – As with the rest of the backline, Amundsen had some nervy moments as the new trio went through its growing pains. Amundsen came up big though when it mattered, recording two interceptions and a clearance. Although he got a yellow card early (the Crew’s only booking on the night) Amundsen didn’t let that impact him, helping maintain the shutout. 

Julian Gressel (8.0) – Other than the goal scorers, the wing backs were the stars of the night and Gressel’s ability on the ball was on full display. He had nine crosses over the course of the evening and put the Black & Gold in dangerous positions with his corner kicks, including in the 38th and 63rd minutes where he put the ball on the money.

Yaw Yeboah (8.0) – While he didn’t earn man of the match, Yeboah arguably had the best night of any player. His crosses in the  20th, 35th, 61st and 77th minute were all dangerous and Yeboah showed what a threat he can be on the wing. He had seven key passes along with a shot on target in the 58th minute.

Aidan Morris (7.0) – While Morris wasn’t able to replicate his performance from the Hell Is Real Derby, it wasn’t for a lack of trying. The central midfielder took two shots, including one on target, and was once again all over the field, racking up contributions in almost every statistical category.

Darlington Nagbe (7.5) – While he doesn’t get credit for an assist, Nagbe’s shot in the 21st minute led directly to the opener. This season, if Nagbe is shooting, Columbus is winning. That’s because he makes everyone around him better higher up the field. Nagbe’s 96.8 percent passing accuracy and control of the flow of the game reemphasized his importance to this team.  

Cucho Hernandez (7.0) – With 12 shots on the night, Hernandez did everything possible to get a goal. Hernandez drew a lot of attention and was constantly in the thick of the Crew’s attack. Unfortunately, Hernandez only had one shot on target and some of his misses weren’t close. It’s a big reason why the Crew was only up one goal late in the match.

Christian Ramírez (7.0) – Ramirez managed seven in this game but only put one on target. Ramirez did get involved in other ways, making three key passes before he was substituted in the 69th minute. While Ramirez wasn’t able to get a goal, he put himself in the right places.

Diego Rossi (7.5) – One start, one goal. While it may have been a gift from Tornoto’s goalkeeper, Rossi was in the right place at the right time and calmly opened his goal account for the Black & Gold. Beyond the goal, Rossi linked well with teammates to keep the TFC backline on its heels. While he only had two shots, Rossi’s work rate drew defenders, giving space for the rest of the team to operate. 

Substitutes

Jacen Russell-Rowe (8.0) – Off the bench and, for the second straight game, contributing with a goal. Russell-Rowe showed his skill by taking a route one pass, letting the ball bounce and steering it around the defender and into the back of the net. Coming into the match in the 69th minute, Russell-Rowe was rewarded for his recent success with minutes off of the bench and he paid the team back with the finish.

Alexandru Matan (7.0) – Also coming in in the 69th minute, Matan didn’t make quite the same impact, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying. The midfielder took three shots, putting one on target, and led all substitutes with 30 touches in his 20 minutes of game time. 

Mohamed Farsi (N/A) –  An 84th minute change, Farsi didn’t see much action but was able to help see the Crew to a clean sheet. 

Max Arfsten (N/A) – Coming in for Gressel, Arfsten likewise didn’t see much of the ball, recording only 11 touches. 

Sean Zawadzki (N/A) –  Subbing in for Morris likely means that Zawadzki will be moving back to a midfield replacement so long as the new backline stays healthy. 

Kevin Molino (N/A) – Brought in as a sixth subitute in the 88th minute because of Toronto’s extra substitution for a concussion protocol player. Molino didn’t get much of a chance to impact the game. 

Head Coach

Wilfried Nancy (8.0) – This game may have shown Black & Gold fans what Nancy’s ideal starting lineup will be going forward. A three-headed monster upfront, a pressing midfield cutting through the opposition and a backline that can hold on to wins seems to be a formula for success for Columbus. Nancy also gets credit for keeping the team focused after a dominant win last week.