Saturday's win was a change in tactics, for sure, but nothing unfamiliar when it comes to playing the New York Red Bulls.
What is expected from New York? A pressing team trying to take advantage of hospital balls - easy pick-off options in closed-in situations, ideally in the opponent's own third. From those dangerous situations come mistakes, and from there, clean-up goals for New Jersey's team.
However, those opportunities were not there last Saturday because, well, the options were elsewhere.
Further up the field, to be specific.
"Yeah, listen, what Columbus did on the night is what we've seen a lot of teams do. They came here, they changed their tactics," said Red Bulls Head Coach Chris Armas after the Crew's 3-2 win at Red Bull Arena on Saturday. "They really changed their approach to what they want to do to us, and that approach can be disruptive to any team."
As Head Coach Caleb Porter alluded to earlier in the week, the Red Bulls are very efficient in their press despite it being well-understood what they plan to do.
That being said, with the Red Bull press also comes space on the outside for opponents and, consequently, the opportunity to get behind lines.
Each of the Crew's three goals, though the first and third in particular, came as a result of open space in the Red Bulls' own half and a well-placed through-ball.
Look at the opener fromLuis Argudo. A quick switch along the backline from Aboubacar Keitato Alex Crognale leads to an 80-yard long-ball to a striding Gyasi Zardes, who takes one touch to lay it off for Argudo, who buries the equalizer.
It was quick, it was direct, and it was a product of the Red Bulls positioning. Six New York players are in the opposing half ready to take advantage of a potential loose ball from the Crew backline, but a through-ball that literally skips all 10 field players combined with a deft Zardes touch past last year's MLS Defender of the Year in Aaron Long makes way for the equalizer.
Now, take a look at the second Crew goal; same principle but different execution.
A win of possession in Columbus' own third leads to an outlet option to Hector Jimenez, who perfectly swings it up-and-out to a streaking Argudo as the Crew leave eight Red Bull players behind them in the span of two passes.
Argudo takes on two defenders, which leads to a splitting ball to Pedro Santos, who buries it from close-range past a hopeless Luis Robles.
Despite being tied 2-2 late on the road - a situation most teams would feel content with - the tactics never shifted as the long-ball continued into the final stages of the game, which led to Santos' first career MLS brace.
A reset on a goal-kick pushed everyone into New York's own half, giving Eloy Room free roam to boot it towards a contesting Artur, who flicked it on to Zardes.
A quick give-and-go between Zardes and Luis Diazbeats two defenders, leaving a three-on-two in favor of the Crew. Zardes opts for the close-range shot while Romario Williamsdraws his defender back-post and Santos sneaks into the slot for a potential cut-back pass-and-finish.
An initial save from Robles leaves Santos open for the clean-up, and just like that, a long-ball plus a simple combination play creates a solid goal-scoring chance against one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference.
It wasn't the prettiest of matches, but it was an excellent example in scouting and execution coming together.
"We went more direct we created a ton of chances and problems for New York, and we knew that in our scouting," Porter said after the match. "We scored three goals. We got good performances across the board and we showed a lot of team spirit and unity, as well, today."
With 10 regular-season matches remaining - including six on the road - it is another sign of improvement, but there's more to be done, Porter said.
"We have to keep building on it. We have massive a massive hole; we have to continue to hunt the teams ahead of us."
