The Crew played its second and third preseason matches on Saturday, facing the U.S. Under-17 National team in a pair of 70-minute games at IMG Fields in Bradenton, Fla. The first match ended 6-0, with Eddie Gaven scoring twice and Justin Meram, Olman Vargas, Milovan Mirosevic and Emilio Renteria tallying one each. Forward Tommy Heinemann then scored twice in the second game, which ended 4-0, with Aaron Horton and Kevan George also recording goals.
The Crew got on the board early as Gaven finished his chance after going one-v-one with the goalkeeper in the eighth minute. In the 15th minute, Vargas crossed a ball into the box for Bernardo Anor who blasted a shot on goal. The ball rebounded to the feet of Gaven who first-timed it into the top-right corner for the 2-0 lead.
In the 27th minute Renteria was brought down in the box after some nice one-two play with Vargas. Mirosevic took the Penalty shot and gave the Black & Gold the 3-0 advantage. Renteria scored a couple of minutes before the end of the first half after finishing a cross by defender Aubrey Perry in the 33rd minute.
In the 51st minute Meram picked up the ball on the left side and, after some nifty dribbling, got into the box and scored the Crew’s fifth goal of the game. Six minutes later Anor crossed the ball to an oncoming Vargas who slid in to beat his defender and score the final goal.
In the 60th minute Anor was brought down in the box after splitting his defenders, but Vargas, who took the penalty, saw his shot saved by the keeper
The scoring started early in the second match as well when Horton blasted a ball towards goal only to see it blocked. George picked up the rebound and toe-poked it into the back of the net in the third minute of play. Horton would get his own tally in the 21st minute when he split two defenders and tucked the ball past the goalkeeper for the 2-0 lead.
In the 39th minute it was Heinemann’s turn to score as he received a cross from Ethan Finlay and took a right-footed shot into the back of the net.
Finlay assisted on the final goal, as well, when he crossed the ball into the box finding Heinemann’s head for the 4-0 final.
The Crew will face its first MLS opponent of preseason on Wednesday, Feb. 15, as the Seattle Sounders visit Bradenton. The Black & Gold will return to Columbus to continue preseason preparations on Feb. 16 before traveling to Charleston, S.C., on Feb. 23 for the Carolina Challenge Cup which runs Feb. 25-March 3
First match: Columbus Crew 6, U.S. U-17 National Team 0
Scoring Summary:
CLB – Eddie Gaven (Unassisted) 8
CLB – Eddie Gaven (Unassisted) 15
CLB – Milovan Mirosevic (Penalty) 27
CLB – Emilio Renteria (Aubrey Perry) 33
CLB – Justin Meram (Unassisted) 51
CLB – Olman Vargas (Bernardo Anor) 57
Columbus Crew Lineup – Andy Gruenebaum, Aubrey Perry (Rich Balchan, 36), Carlos Mendes, Chad Marshall, Lance Laing* (Shaun Francis, 36), Eddie Gaven, Tony Tchani (Kirk Urso, 36), Bernardo Anor Milovan Mirosevic, Emilio Renteria (Olman Vargas, 53), Olman Vargas (Justin Meram, 36)
Non-roster trialist
Second Match: Columbus Crew 4, U.S. U-17s 0
Scoring Summary:
CLB – Kevan George (Unassisted) 3
CLB – Aaron Horton (Kevan George) 21
CLB – Tommy Heinemann (Ethan Finlay) 39
CLB – Tommy Heinemann (Ethan Finlay) 53
Columbus Crew Lineup – Matt Lampson, Kasali Casal, Josh Williams, Eric Gehrig (Shaun Francis, 13, Javier Avial), Korey Veeder, Ethan Finlay, Cole Grossman, Kevan George, Justin Meram (Darren Amoo, 15), Tommy Heinemann, Aaron Horton (Andrew Bulls, 36)
Non-roster trialist
