Game Recap – Columbus Crew SC vs. New York City FC
August 20th, 2015
There were a lot of reason to expect excitement from last night’s match at Mapfre Stadium. Firstly, it was the first-ever meeting between the Columbus hosts and new MLS expansion team NYCFC. Then there was Kei Kamara, currently leading the Golden Boot Standing and this Major League Soccer 2015 season top goal scorer.
Then there was the NYCFC roaster that is now full of European soccer legends. But the huge excitement turned out to come from an unexpected place/individual. It was NYCFC’s Kwandwo Poku that came from behind and stole the limelight, with 2 brilliant goals and a performance that put him high on the list of MLS-players-to-watch.
The Ghanaian international came to the US from Ghana to join the 4th tier Georgia Revolution (NPSL) in 2011. In 2014, he moved on to sign with 2nd tier Atlanta Silverbacks (NASL), and signed with NYCFC in January 2015. In his Major League Soccer first season, Poku already scored 4 goals, 2 of them last night against Columbus Crew SC.
The Crew opened strong, and on the 24th minute Ethan Finlay showed his amazing ball control by launching an attack from the right, going past New York’s defense and passing to Kamara at the center of the box. Kamara extended his leg and show his 18th MLS goal.
The visitors from New York equalized in the second half, with David Villa sending a ball from mid field to Kwandwo Poku who kept running towards the goal and found a great position behind the Crew’s defense. In what appeared like a seamless movement, he kept running and flicked the ball into the goal (56’).
Poku just kept on going, and less than 10 minute later, he was somehow left on his own at the top of the box while teammate Andrea Pirlo took a corner kick. The ball deflected to Poku’s area, for him to take a powerful shot and give NYCFC the lead (65’).
New York’s lead was short lived, as Kei Kamara launched an explosive attack, and was assisted with fantastic skill by Cedrick Mabwati who come on as a late substitute. Kamara then managed to score the last goal of the match (72’) and the game ended with a draw.
The game was also stopped for more than an hour due to a severe-weather delay.
