Could Nationwide Blvd. be extended to go over the Olentangy, curving down to Spring/Long St?  Also, I wonder if a northbound street could go under 670 into the new White Castle development to connect to Goodale St. WCs plans make it looks like a drive on the east side of the property might go under 670.

 

Just brainstorming over here!

 

Connecting to Goodale, right at the point where Goodale meets Vine and crosses over the 670 ramps, would be the best way to connect the area to residential neighborhoods to the the north. Looks like there is a mess of freight rail tracks, highway underpasses, and probably swampy land (isn't that plot near vine & neil some kind of sewer district thing?) to connect through.

^Wasn't that land earmarked for "Pen West" and/or the Schottenstein Central Station towers (that fell through, I think?)?

 

I remember someone here (or on Twitter) saying basically the land at the west end of the Arena District was either 1) already bought and earmarked for projects and/or 2) not big enough for what the Crew wants.

 

The only other downtown spot was over near Abbott HQs I thought - it's admittedly hard to keep up with fan proposals, downtown commission proposals, etc.

 

I do believe the project proposals for the land have fallen through.

 

As far as the land not being big enough for the Crew...if true, I'd have to ask what exactly they're after. If they want a suburban stadium surrounded by youth fields or a shopping center they can do that in Ohio quite easily. If they want something in the city then they have to accept the limitations. That said, that particular piece of land is quite huge for an urban setting, so the "not big enough" line sounds like some Precourt BS to me.

Columbus Crew owner Anthony Precourt is a monorail salesman masquerading as a pro sports owner:

- The Precourt saga has been an embarrassment to MLS, American soccer, and professional sports as a whole.

 

http://thecomeback.com/soccer/columbus-crew-owner-anthony-precourt-monorail-salesman-masquerading-pro-sports-owner.html

 

---

^ This blistering critique of Precourt's latest Austin statement from The Comeback ended with the following paragraph:

 

"Precourt clearly felt like he had to respond in a big way to keep flickering hopes for his dream move alive.  But in doing so, he confirmed every single one of the worst thoughts about him, and he cemented it in stone that the only solution to this growing debacle is for him to sell the Crew to local ownership in Columbus and be gone from MLS and professional sports forever.  MLS commissioner Don Garber shouldn’t be far behind for allowing this travesty to drag on for months and destroying the league’s credibility as well."

I don't know if that Circuit of the Americas (COTA lol) site in the article will please MLS either since it's at a remote Formula 1 track. COTA has lots of amenities but an urban setting isn't one of them.

The Nationwide owned "Pen West" property is more than enough for a stadium in neighborhood of such density. Ample room for the stadium itself and surrounding pedestrian/fan plaza space. Obviously you're not gonna have a bunch of surface parking lots but between all of the existing garages and lots in close proximity, and the fact that you could easily fit a new parking structure in there as well......space can't be held up as a valid argument. You could have a stadium toward the back of the lot fronting the freeways with mixed use development along Nationwide Blvd and big open paths leading back to the stadium.

 

Now....the Schottenstein land (the adjacent triangle of land bound by railroad tracks) which was supposed to be that Grand Central development but they canceled that and offered the land to the Crew.....is a different story. We reportedly declined the offer and that plot of land would definitely be a complicated fit for a stadium, especially if all of the tracks are still in use and can't be altered.

The SheBelieves Cup was at Crew/Mapfre Stadium last night.  Fine turnout despite the terrible weather:

 

 

And during the ESPN2 broadcast of the game, #SaveTheCrew chants could be heard and the ESPN announcers mentioned the Crew/Austin situation:

 

Meanwhile in Austin, Anthony Precourt is still winning friends and influencing people:

 

As much fun as it is too ridicule Precourt on his Austin failures, I'd rather post about the on-field performance of the team he nominally owns.  Fortunately the Crew are starting their 2018 MLS season today with a 1PM game at Toronto. (Who thought it was a good idea to play in Toronto on March 3rd? @thesoccerdon?)

 

Here are a couple of season previews and a projected opening day starting lineup for the Crew:

 

http://www.columbusalive.com/entertainment/20180228/crew-season-preview-12-things-to-watch-for-in-2018

 

https://www.massivereport.com/2018/3/1/17066610/massive-predictions-2018-columbus-crew-sc-season-mls

 

 

Much of the Crew's 2017 Eastern Conference Final lineup remains together for 2018 - with two big exceptions.  Leading scorer Ola Kamara was traded to the LA Galaxy for Gyasi Zardes and $400K in allocation money and second-leading scorer Justin Meram was traded to Orlando for $1.05M in allocation money.

 

The Crew used some of that allocation money to buy down to salary of DP center back Jonathan Mensah to below DP-status.  Which allowed them to acquire 19-year-old left back Milton Valenzuela as the team's third DP (the other two are Higuain and Santos).  Also, the contract of Artur was purchased from his Brazilian team so that he is no longer on temporary loan.

 

Zardes will replace Ola as the forward striker.  Pedro Santos moved from right to left wing back to replace Meram.  21-year-old Cristian Martinez has been at right wing back in the preseason.  Martinez has shown some offensive flair but also some questionable defensive play.  Niko Hansen, who was gaining some playing time before a season-ending injury last year, and 31-year-old new acquisition Mike Grella, who had a fine MLS carerr but missed most of last year with a knee injury, are also future forward wing back options.

 

The biggest concern is the loss of Ola Kamara and his replacement with Gyasi Zardes.  Although Zardes is a bigger name because of his USMNT appearances, the 26-year-old is three seasons removed from peak scoring performance.  However, Zardes has looked quite good in the preseason matches, scoring 6 goals in their last 5 matches.  There's some hope that Zardes will be a good fit in Coach Berhalter's attacking system and will regain his previous form.  If so, Berhalter will have "bought low" with Zardes and "sold high" with Ola and Meram.

 

The midfielder lineup of Higuain, Artur and Trapp remains as solid as ever.  Another acquisition made was 21-year-old Eduardo Sosa from Venezuela.  He looks to be the primary backup for Higuain, and possibly his long-term replacement.  The only change at right back is that Harrison Afful changed his jersey name from "Afful" to "Harrison".  And 19-year-old Milton Valenzuela from Argentina looks to be a long-term answer at left back after a revolving cast of players last season.

 

At the two center back spots, Jonathan Mensah survived a rocky first MLS season to retain one spot.  The second spot is currently being held by fellow Ghanaian Lalas Abubaker in his second MLS season.  Abubaker has looked good but in somewhat holding the spot by default.  Last year's stater Josh Williams is recovering from an achilles injury and Gaston Sauro is still recovering from the knee injury that sidelined him for the entire 2017 season.  In 2018, both Williams and Sauro (if healthy) will likely see time at center back.

 

As for goalkeeper, 22-year-old Zack Steffen started all 34 MLS games for the Crew.  And barring any injury, the dynamic Steffen should start every MLS game for the Crew in 2018.

Maybe I'm alone in this, but late last year I came away thinking Higuain is about spent.  He is 33 so I guess it's not that crazy to consider the future without him.

GAME #1:  https://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2018-03-03-toronto-fc-vs-columbus-crew-sc/recap

 

Hard to script a better start for the #SaveTheCrew (aka 2018 Crew SC) with this 2-0 win at Toronto.

 

After a back-and-forth first half without any dangerous scoring chances, Valenzuela found Higuain open in the box in the 44th minute.  Higuain made a brilliant finish to put the Crew up 1-0 at halftime.

 

Just after halftime in the 46th minute the Crew struck again.  Artur started a counterattack with a pass to Santos up the left side.  Santos advanced and then made a perfectly weighed pass to Zardes, who got past the final defender on the right side.  Zardes smartly finished it past the TFC keeper to put the Crew up 2-0.

 

After the second Crew goal, Toronto made their push back.  For the next 20 minutes, the game was played in the Crew defensive end until a Giovinco shot hit the post in the 65th minute.  The Crew relieved the pressure after that.  Although Toronto did have a couple more close calls with a long-shot hitting the top of the crossbar at 78' and an Altidore shot beating Steffen but drifting just wide at 80'.

 

A fine defensive effort overall combined with good finishing for the Crew.  That's a pattern to be repeated.

Great on-the-field start to the 2018 season:

 

And #SaveTheCrew in the Sunday New York Times:

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/02/sports/soccer/mls-fans-savethecrew.html

 

http://www.dispatch.com/news/20180305/ohio-columbus-suing-to-keep-crew-sc-from-moving-to-austin

 

Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine and the city of Columbus are taking the owner of the Columbus Crew SC and Major League Soccer to court in an attempt to keep them from ditching town in favor of Austin, Texas.

 

The lawsuit filed Monday in the Franklin County Common Pleas Court seeks to invoke a 1996 law enacted after Art Modell moved the Cleveland Browns to Baltimore, where the team was renamed the Ravens. The law says that no professional team that gets public assistance or uses public facilities can leave town without giving six months notice and giving locals an opportunity to buy the team.

I'd be surprised if they win. Crew Stadium was built privately.

I'd be surprised if they win. Crew Stadium was built privately.

 

... on State-owned land that is tax-exempt and leased at a below-market rate to Crew ownership ($50,000/year as per reports).  Plus $5 million in State funds was used in 2009 for parking upgrades surrounding the stadium.

Here's the original tweet from Mike DeWine's Ohio Attorney General office that contains a link to the lawsuit document: 

 

 

More about the particulars of the Ohio AG vs. PSV/MLS lawsuit from Mike DeWine: 

 

Just love this twitter reply to MLS' promotion of 2018's first Team of the Week: 

 

Here's the original tweet from Mike DeWine's Ohio Attorney General office that contains a link to the lawsuit document: 

 

 

The one (and as I far as I know, only) good thing Mike DeWine has ever done for the state of Ohio..... #savethecrew

The one (and as I far as I know, only) good thing Mike DeWine has ever done for the state of Ohio..... #savethecrew

 

Off-topic, but I mean....how is this not a good thing? http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2018/02/completed_testing_of_13931_rape_kits_signals_progress_unfinished_business_and_investigtions_remain.html

Columbus Crew owner Anthony Precourt is a monorail salesman masquerading as a pro sports owner:

- The Precourt saga has been an embarrassment to MLS, American soccer, and professional sports as a whole.

 

http://thecomeback.com/soccer/columbus-crew-owner-anthony-precourt-monorail-salesman-masquerading-pro-sports-owner.html

 

The amount of articles ridiculing Precourt, PSV and MLS is starting to add up:

 

Precourt Hits the Panic Button, Panic Button Hits Him Back:  http://www.bigsoccer.com/threads/precourt-hits-the-panic-button-panic-button-hits-him-back.2081708/

So what exactly would be defined as "local buyer" There is always a negotiation here and I do not know if the statute has enough teeth in it to compel the desired result.

 

Could it be that a shell game is played where the Crew move to Austin and the owners of FC Cincy to gain admittance in the league buy the "crew" and move them to Cincy. This way, any dollars the state has shelled out is protected because the team will still be located in Ohio.

So what exactly would be defined as "local buyer" There is always a negotiation here and I do not know if the statute has enough teeth in it to compel the desired result.

 

Could it be that a shell game is played where the Crew move to Austin and the owners of FC Cincy to gain admittance in the league buy the "crew" and move them to Cincy. This way, any dollars the state has shelled out is protected because the team will still be located in Ohio.

 

Modell requires the team to stay in its political subdivision (Columbus). If FCC bought the Crew, they would have to challenge the Modell Law to move the team from Columbus to Cincy.

The Dispatch delves into some the legal issues of using the "Modell Law" to keep the Crew in Columbus:

 

http://www.dispatch.com/business/20180307/move-to-block-crew-relocation-raises-many-legal-questions

 

---

The article interviewed various legal experts to look at the legal issues of using the Modell Law.  One somewhat similar case was the City of Oakland vs. Oakland Raiders in the early 1980's.  The city sued the Raiders when they announced a move to Los Angeles and attempted to seize the team using eminent domain.  However, the city lost after an appeals court decided that under the Commerce Clause - which gives the federal government authority to regulate interstate trade - the franchise could not be made to stay in Oakland.

 

But the end play might not involve an ultimate court ruling.  Instead, it could be the slow grind of a complicated case, in which time might be on DeWine's and #SaveTheCrew's side.  The attorney general will ask for a preliminary injunction - which, if granted, would bar the Crew’s departure until the case is settled.

 

One legal expert said, “The whole legal action might be to win the preliminary injunction, and then force Precourt’s hand.  The feeling is that Precourt might be forced to sell or someone (like MLS) is going to intervene.”

 

A legal quagmire also could stall Precourt’s ability to win over Austin and secure a deal for a stadium there.  "No one is going to want to partner with a team that might be on the hook for a big settlement, or forced to be sold or move back", another legal expert said.

Crew SC owner, MLS disagree with lawsuit that aims to keep team in Columbus

 

No surprise here, but Precourt Sports Ventures and Major League Soccer released a statement disagreeing with the lawsuit the city of Columbus and the state filed to keep the Crew SC from moving to Austin.

 

The statement says the lawsuit “chooses to ignore both the facts and the law."

 

This follows Monday's announcement that Ohio and the city of Columbus were suing using the "Art Modell Law," after the then-Browns owner who relocated the Cleveland Browns to Baltimore in 1996.

 

More below:

https://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2018/03/07/crew-sc-owner-mls-disagree-with-lawsuit-that-aims.html

The official #SaveTheCrew jersey was unveiled last night:

 

 

https://shop.savethecrew.com/product/the-community-kit/

 

https://www.massivereport.com/2018/3/8/17098298/precourt-sports-venture-announces-narrowed-focus-in-austin-targets-mckalla-place-columbus-crew-sc

 

Precourt Sports Ventures announced Thursday evening, two days before Columbus Crew SC’s home opener, that the Black & Gold’s ownership group — which announced last fall the possibility of of a move to Austin, Texas — prefer the city owned land at McKalla Place in north Austin. The land lies approximately 10 miles north of downtown Austin in close proximity to the mixed use retail and commercial development “The Domain,” similar to the Easton Towncenter property on the the north east side of Columbus.

 

So he doesn't care about a stadium downtown.  Cool.  Cool cool cool.

^ Loving the twitter responses to McKalla Place now being an "ideal" site:

 

Plus this:

 

IT'S CREWSMAS!!!

 

GAME #2:  https://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2018-03-10-columbus-crew-sc-vs-montreal-impact/recap

 

Montreal almost got the game's first goal in the 8th minute when a shot from inside the 18-yard box rang off the crossbar.  But instead it was the Crew who scored first.  Off a corner kick in the 11th minute, Abubakar was pulled down in the 6-yard box by former Crew defender Raitala (now with Montreal) and awarded a penalty kick.  The PK was converted by Higuain to put the Crew up 1-0.

 

The Crew went up 2-0 in the 15th minute when a free kick was headed by Artur off the crossbar and the rebound was knocked in by Zardes.  The Crew came close to going up by three at 26' on a near miss from Martinez to Zardes and at 47' on a rocket shot from Valenzuela.  But it was Montreal who would get the game's next goal.  In the 59th minute, Santos committed a terrible give-away in mid-field that led to a Montreal goal.

 

In the 76th minute, Montreal nearly tied it on a point-blank attempt that hit the crossbar.  Then in the 81st minute on a point-blank header brilliantly saved by Steffen.  However, Montreal did finally break through off a crossing pass spectacularly one-timed in to tie it 2-2 in the 85th minute.

 

And just when it looked like the Crew was out of time in the 93rd minute, a nice give-and-go between 2nd-half rookie sub Luis Argudo and 19-year-old rookie Milton Valenzuela led to Argudo getting fouled inside in the 18-yard box and awarded a penalty kick.  Zardes converted the PK to give the Crew a 3-2 home opening win!

Spotted during yesterday's pre-game tailgate:

 

 

See the Nordecke’s reaction to the game winning goal:

 

 

Seriously WTF?

 

From the Philadelphia Inquirer: MLS commissioner Don Garber's 'preference' is for the Crew 'to stay in Columbus':

 

http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/soccer/columbus-save-the-crew-mls-don-garber-anthony-precourt-austin-texas-20180313.html

Public preference is to not relocate. Private behind close doors is to facilitate the move to Austin.

Austin doesn't want the Crew.

^^ Exactly.  Garber's public "preference" might mean something if his league hadn't allowed the 'Austin out clause' in Precourt's purchase of the team, and if MLS hadn't paid for lobbyists in Austin to facilitate the move.  Plus he repeated the "parallel paths" BS line, when the only path Precourt/PSV have been pursuing up to now is Austin.

 

It seems that Garber was on a reassurance tour in Philly, since it was recently reported that the Philadelphia Union have a Crew-like "out clause" that allows their ownership to move if the Union are in the bottom 25% of league attendance.  Guess what, they're in the bottom 25% of league attendance.  But Garber says 'don't worry, you're a great soccer market'.  Just like @thesoccerdon was saying to Columbus in 2015.

^^ As you point out. Publically, he has to protect the brand and help sell tickets and bring in revenue to the league. Privately, his job is to serve the owner and his wishes.

-- Precourt/PSV & MLS counsel issued a formal response to the Modell/SaveTheCrew lawsuit filed by Ohio AG Mike DeWine: 

 

-- Which for some strange reason was addressed to the Mayor of Columbus instead of the Ohio AG office.  But that didn't stop Ohio AG Mike DeWine from issuing this reply to the PSV/MLS letter: 

 

The TL:DR version of both statements:

- Precourt/MLS:  "Thanks for the lawsuit. We don't think it applies to us."

- Ohio AG DeWine:  "Yes it does. We'll see you the court."

Or, to restate the Precourt/PSV response:

 

 

GAME #3:  https://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2018-03-17-philadelphia-union-vs-columbus-crew-sc/recap

 

Welcome to the MLS Business Metrics Derby!  A fierce battle between two clubs whose fans discovered their team owners have "out-clauses".

 

Columbus learned last year that their owner has an "out-clause" to Austin and have been fighting a #SaveTheCrew battle since.  Philadelphia learned last week that their owner has an "out-clause" that allows their ownership to move the Union if they are in the bottom 25% of league attendance.  Guess what, they're in the bottom 25% of league attendance.

 

Since then, Commish Garber did a reassurance tour in Philly and soothingly said "Don't worry Philly, you're a great soccer market.  We would never leave you."  But then Commish Garber also said the same thing to Columbus while we were hosting the 2015 MLS Cup.

 

Apparently there was a soccer match played too.  So club and community or something, but business metrics or you'll be relegated, er sorry relocated.

Totally human non-robot review of the past six months of #SaveTheCrew:

 

 

GAME #3:  https://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2018-03-17-philadelphia-union-vs-columbus-crew-sc/recap

 

Welcome to the MLS Business Metrics Derby!  A fierce battle between two clubs whose fans discovered their team owners have "out-clauses".

 

Columbus learned last year that their owner has an "out-clause" to Austin and have been fighting a #SaveTheCrew battle since.  Philadelphia learned last week that their owner has an "out-clause" that allows their ownership to move the Union if they are in the bottom 25% of league attendance.  Guess what, they're in the bottom 25% of league attendance.

 

Since then, Commish Garber did a reassurance tour in Philly and soothingly said "Don't worry Philly, you're a great soccer market.  We would never leave you."  But then Commish Garber also said the same thing to Columbus while we were hosting the 2015 MLS Cup.

 

Apparently there was a soccer match played too.  So club and community or something, but business metrics or you'll be relegated, er sorry relocated.

 

 

If the NFL has taught anyone anything (and NBA) market size is irrelevant for moving teams. LA moved to Oakland and St. Louis leaving htat market void; Houston moving to Nashville; Cleveland move. In the NBA you had Seattle moving to Oklahoma City of all places.

 

The difference between what Garber says in dealing with Columbus vs Philly is that being committed to the Philly market means that if Philly loses their team, they will receive first priority when another team wants to move to the market or in the next expansion phase if they have their act together. Being committed to Columbus market is just posturing to continue to sell tickets and not burn the bridge until they are completely out of town. If Columbus leaves, they are not getting a team back (especially if there is a team in Cincy)

If the NFL has taught anyone anything (and NBA) market size is irrelevant for moving teams. LA moved to Oakland and St. Louis...

 

Based on what happened to the Oakland (Las Vegas) Raiders and St Louis (Los Angeles) Rams, I'm not sure those examples support your claim that the NFL doesn't care about market size. NFL owners are profit-seeking and don't hesitate to compete cities against each other for the most generous deals (stadiums, incentives, etc).

^ No, my point is that the NFL and sports entities will always play cities off each other even it if means downsizing from a large market like LA to a small market with eager owners willing to throw money at it (or an eager city council) like st. Louis or Nashville. Leaving the large market void is helpful because it creates the threat that a team can easily move back there because it is a known entity and has the population and wealth to make it there.

 

THat is not the case for small markets like Columbus. Point being, If Philly moves, it will be taken care of down the line and they will eventually end up with another team again. Columbus being a small market does not get the favored treatment.  That is my main point.

https://www.massivereport.com/2018/3/18/17136398/wil-trapp-and-zack-steffen-receive-call-ups-for-usmnt-game-against-paraguay

 

Goalkeeper Zack Steffen and midfielder/captain Wil Trapp will join the national team for their friendly against Paraguay next Tuesday.  Nice opportunity for Trapp, 25, and Steffen, 22, who have a chance to become a part of future USMNT rosters during a period of transition after the U.S. missed out on the 2018 World Cup.

 

Because of these call-ups, Steffen and Trapp will not be available for today's Crew game hosting D.C. United.  It's a couple of big holes to fill in the starting lineup.  But I heard someone comment that it could have been worse.  If Ghana played this weekend, the Crew might have lost three additional starters!

Game #4:  https://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2018-03-24-columbus-crew-sc-vs-dc-united/recap

 

-- With Steffen and Trapp off on USMNT duty, there was some concern about their replacements in yesterday's game - Jon Kempin in goal and Ricardo Clark at midfield.  Kempin allayed those fears in the 15th minute when a DC player got the ball behind the last Crew defender and was going to be one-on-one in the box with our GK.  Instead, Kempin snuffed that out with an aggressive dive to possess the ball far from his goal line to keep the game scoreless.

 

-- Instead, it was the Crew who got the game's first goal.  In the 20th minute, Artur made a slick back heal pass to Martinez at the right edge of the box - Martinez then passes it through the box to a trailing Milton Valenzuela who scored his first-ever Crew goal.

 

-- DC tied the game back up in the 30th minute.  But then it was time for the second replacement player, Ricardo Clark, to make an impact.  35-year-old MLS-veteran Clark headed in his first-ever Crew goal in the 40th minute off a Higuain corner kick.  The assist was also Higuain's 50th with the Crew.

 

-- Then, less than two minutes later, the Crew scored again on a Martinez crossing pass from the left edge of the box that found a wide-open Pedro Santos near the right post for an easy redirect.  This was Santos' first-ever Crew goal (seems to be theme here).

 

-- In the second half, the Crew had alot of near-misses - an Higuain free kick at 47', a Martinez shot at 60', a Zardes header off the crossbar at 60' and a Santos corner kick that hit the crossbar at 63'.  But neither the Crew nor DC United could manage a second half goal, so the final score ended 3-1 in the Crew's favor.

 

-- The Columbus Crew stay undefeated in 2018 and are now 3-0-1, tied for first in the East.

The Crew go for the Canadian trifecta today against Vancouver.  It's also a bit of Columbus-Vancouver derby too, since the Jackets play at Vancouver today.

^ No, my point is that the NFL and sports entities will always play cities off each other even it if means downsizing from a large market like LA to a small market with eager owners willing to throw money at it (or an eager city council) like st. Louis or Nashville. Leaving the large market void is helpful because it creates the threat that a team can easily move back there because it is a known entity and has the population and wealth to make it there.

 

THat is not the case for small markets like Columbus. Point being, If Philly moves, it will be taken care of down the line and they will eventually end up with another team again. Columbus being a small market does not get the favored treatment.  That is my main point.

That is why Cincinnati city council should not give any money to FF Cincinnati. Let him build the stadium with his own money.  Who is to say FC Cincy owner Carl Lindner is not going to have that same relocation clause written into his contract if his team gets into MLS.  Say if in 20 years Carl Lindner or his heir wants to move to greener pastures, FC Cincinnati will be in the same situation the Columbus Crew is now in.

Game #5:  https://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2018-03-31-columbus-crew-sc-vs-vancouver-whitecaps-fc/recap

 

-- Vancouver spoiled the Crew's Canadian trifecta.  The first half started well and the Crew got the first goal in the 29th minute off a Santos blast that got deflected into the path of Zardes who knocked it in for his 4th goal of the season.

 

-- But the second half was all Vancouver.  The Whitecaps tied it up in the 51st minute.  Then it looked like the Caps got a go-ahead goal in the 70th minute, but video review detected a hand-ball and disallowed the goal.

 

-- Vancouver got their "second" go-ahead goal in the 78th minute off dazzling header from Kei Kamara.  Yes, that Kei Kamara.  He may be a lousy teammate, but he is still 'the headmaster'.

 

-- Columbus nearly tied it up in the 86th minute when Artur headed a corner kick off the crossbar.  But that was the last chance the Crew would get and Vancouver won 2-1 to hand the Crew its first defeat of 2018.

 

-- Columbus is now 3-1-1 with 10 points in five games and second to undefeated NYCFC in the East.