Columbus Crew hosted Colorado Rapids in the Major League Soccer regular season, stage 23, on Friday evening. The home side took the lead through Santiago Rodriguez in the twenty-second minute and saw the result sealed by Taha Habroune's late strike. Columbus Crew finished top of the standings at 23 points, while Colorado Rapids sat seventh with 31 points.
Rodriguez's opener came after a period of pressure that eventually told. He picked up a booking on the stroke of half-time, then was replaced himself in the seventy-fifth minute. Gonzalo Tapia doubled the advantage shortly after the interval, and by then the visitors had already made three changes at the break.
We had given Columbus a win at 44 per cent confidence before kick-off. The result confirmed that calculation, though the margin was perhaps wider than the underlying numbers suggested. Colorado managed only two shots on target all evening, and their expected goals figure of 0.58 told you what happened on the pitch.
Stats showed Columbus dominated possession at 54 per cent and created six big chances from 101 attacks. They registered six shots on target against two for the visitors, and their expected goals total of 2.06 reflected the quality of their efforts. The visitors' goalkeeper made three saves, but there was little else to recommend him.
The win moved Columbus up the table, though they remain mid-table with six wins from 23 games. Colorado's third defeat in four matches kept them in seventh, but the gap to the leaders remains significant. It was a straightforward afternoon for the hosts, who ground out the win without drama.
