Columbus Crew 3-2 Portland Timbers

Niko Hanson came off the bench with half hour to spare and grabbed a winner for Columbus Crew on his MLS debut.

It didn’t take long for the goal scoring action to commence in a thrilling five goal match. Five different goal scorers all on the score sheet. The first was Dairon Asprilla within the first four minutes. Sebastian Blanco found him down the right hand side, Asprilla then finished the job by beating Columbus keeper Zack Steffen in the bottom left hand corner of his goal.

An equaliser came seven minutes later as Justin Meram couldn’t miss from yards out after a high corner was floated in and scrambled about in the box for him to blast in.

Ola Kamara added the third goal to the game in the 19th minute as well as a third goal to his season tally. Federico Higuain’s long ball from inside his own half found Kamara, who got the better of Timbers’ back line. Kamara then lobbed Jake Gleeson who came charging off his line to shut down the striker but failed to deny him. A perfectly placed left footed strike that creeped in just under the cross bar to give the home team the lead.

Diego Valeri almost got his side back into the game on the half hour mark but his low far out effort clipped the outside of the post, beating outstretched Steffen and then later cleared by the Columbus defence. A great effort in what would have been a fantastic goal if it found the back of the net.

One more goal was to come in the second half when Fanendo Adi curled a right footed strike past Steffan, equalising in stoppage time. Alvas Powell’s low driven cross into the penalty found Adi, who managed to get a shot off despite four Columbus players surrounding him. A great goal.

The action immediately followed after the break as Adi tried to grab his second of the game with a powerful header from a corner tipped over the bar from Steffen.

Kamara later had the perfect opportunity to put his team ahead with ten minutes to go as Higuain whipped in a cross for the striker to only head it high and wide. The break through did however come three minutes after. Right back Harrison Afful crossed in for Kamara whose shouldered effort was parried from Gleeson to find the feet of young substitute midfielder Niko Hansen who blasted home with delight.

Victory for Columbus put them top of the Eastern Conference on goal difference ahead of Red Bulls. Portland still remain top of the Western Conference despite losing their first of the season. They are two points clear of Dallas who however, have a game in hand.

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