By Alex Thierry
Despite fielding a rotated squad, Columbus Crew controlled possession for much of the match, creating danger down the flanks and consistently delivering dangerous crosses into Atlas' penalty area.
The hosts capitalized on two first-half set pieces to seize control. Ruvalcaba opened the scoring with a header from a Dylan Chambost corner kick before Columbus struck again in first-half stoppage time. This time, Steven Moreira's side took advantage of another corner as Sean Zawadzki powered home a diving header following a delivery from Taha Habroune, who was instrumental in controlling the Crew's midfield throughout the evening.
Atlas struggled to respond to Columbus' pressure and created few meaningful scoring opportunities before halftime, allowing the Crew to take a commanding 2-0 lead into the break.
Columbus removed any doubt shortly after the restart when summer signing Brais Méndez showcased the composure that made him one of LaLiga's standout midfielders, delicately guiding Habroune's through ball past the goalkeeper to extend the lead to 3-0. Atlas eventually found a consolation goal when Rivaldo Lozano Valenzuela broke free down the flank and delivered a low cross that deflected into the net off a Columbus defender for an own goal.
Despite rotating several regular starters, Columbus looked sharp throughout the match, dictating the tempo and creating the better scoring chances. Atlas pushed numbers forward in the closing stages, repeatedly sending crosses into the penalty area, but never seriously threatened the outcome.
The victory gives Columbus an important three points to open its Leagues Cup campaign before a highly anticipated showdown against Pachuca. Atlas, meanwhile, will look to bounce back against Charlotte FC in what could become a pivotal match in its hopes of reaching the quarterfinals.
REACTIONS:
- Columbus Crew Head Coach Laurent Courtois
- “We’re happy with how we integrated the young players, since some of the regulars needed the rest, so it was natural to rotate.”
- Atlas Head Coach Hernán Crespo
- “We didn’t feel comfortable during the first half. This is a situation with multiple changes. I’m looking for a different style of game and I’m confident that we’ll get there.”
PLAYERS OF THE MATCH:
- Columbus Crew:
- Taha Habroune ended up with 2 assists and was key to Columbus Crew’s attack
- Atlas
- Milton Valenzuela found spaces and ended up causing Zawadski’s OG
GAME NOTES:
- Both first half goals from Columbus came from corner kicks showcasing Laurent Courtois work on set pieces.
- Brais Méndez came off the bench and scored, making another impact off the bench.
- Atlas failed to bounce back from their defeat against Monterrey and fell short of expectations again in this match
- The Mexican side had just three shots on target, showing their struggles to create opportunities.
CARDS/INJURY REPORT:
- Yellow Cards:
- Columbus Crew: Chase Adams, Tarun Karumanchi
- Atlas: Rodrigo Schlegel
LOOKING AHEAD
- Columbus Crew next game: Aug. 7 vs. Pachuca
- Atlas next game: Aug. 7 vs. Charlotte FC
