New Columbus Crew member DeJuan Jones scores winning penalty kick against NYCFC | Arace
Outside back DeJuan Jones went to the Crew in a trade on the last day of July. He played for Caleb Porter in New England. He has spent the past two or three weeks acclimating himself to a new coach and a group of players who operate under different norms.
“There are a lot of things that are different than what I’m used to,” Jones said. “I’m trying to take it all in and do the best I can.”
Saturday night in the new Crew stadium, Jones found yet another wrinkle in the way the Black & Gold operate under Wilfried Nancy.
The Crew and New York City FC were tied 1-1 at the end of regulation of a Leagues Cup quarterfinal. Per tournament rules, tie games go right to penalty kicks. Jones discovered the Crew approach to the pressure-compressed and mercurial tiebreaker.
There are any number of ways to make a list of penalty takers. The coaches, after watching their team practice kicks, might decide on the order. The players might have a lot of say in the matter. There’s also what you might call the “Cucho factor,” which is to say that when you have Cucho Hernandez on your team, you know he’s going to take one. And there might be others who specialize in the moment, so they’re in, too.
There's also a way that may be more recognizable to an American audience: The coach points at somebody and says, “You're first,” and then he nods at somebody else and says, “You’re No. 2,” and so on, through No. 5.
Saturday night, Jones said, “was the first time (I’ve) ever seen everyone calling it out. … Guys were just raising their hand. The first guy raised his hand and said, ‘First,’ and the second volunteer said, ‘Second,’ and it went like that through the first four. Whoever was feeling confident in the moment.”
Who wants dibs?
Nancy described his part in the process as “nothing.”
“I believe that we are good when we take PKs during practice,” Nancy said. “What I believe is PKs, this is a technical exercise, yes, but for me this is a mental exercise. For me, the players have to decide who wants to take the PK. I am with them and I want to give a good energy because, again, this is a really difficult mental exercise. That’s why I am like this.”
Rudy Camacho, who defends the middle of the backfield, was the first Crew volunteer. He converted. Jacen Russell-Rowe, a forward who came off the bench late in the second half, was the second volunteer. He converted. Starting forward Diego Rossi, who has been on a bit of a heater, was the third Crew volunteer. He was thwarted by the NYCFC goalkeeper. Hernandez was the fourth Crew volunteer − he likes to go fourth or fifth "to decide the game." He converted on a cheeky little chip shot that lit up the crowd in the Nordecke behind the goal.
Now, back to the pre-kicks huddle. There was some hesitation before Jones, in his 18th day with the Crew, volunteered to take the team’s fifth kick. As it turned out, the game was on his foot, as they say.
Crew goalkeeper Patrick Schulte had saved one NYCFC kick (by the estimable Maxi Moralez). Santiago Rodriguez took a huge divot – he dug out the dot – and sailed his attempt over the crossbar. The shootout was level at 3-3 when Jones put the ball on the spot. He correctly read the keeper and punched a right-footed shot inside the right post. It was the game-winner in a 4-3 shootout.
Max Arfsten, who assisted on the Crew’s lone goal during regulation – a header by Hernandez – provided the winning kick in the Crew’s last shootout, a victory over Tigres in a Champions Cup quarterfinal game in Mexico in April. He was subbed out for Jones Saturday night. Funny how these things work.
“Whoever feels comfortable and confident,” Arfsten said. “I think it’s good to leave it up to us.”
NYCFC had won three previous Leagues Cup games on kicks.
“Penalty competitions are anyone’s,” NYCFC coach Nick Cushing. “Going into penalties, you rely on the guy upstairs for help. Maybe it was our turn tonight to not make it over the line.”
Yes, it was just another day at the office for the Crew, who came from two goals down in the second half to beat Inter Miami in their previous game. The Crew, defending MLS Cup Champions who were food-poisoned prior to the Champions Cup final, are on to the semifinals of Leagues Cup. The opponent will be Philadelphia. The game is at the new Crew stadium Wednesday. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Crew to face Philadelphia in Leagues Cup semifinal Wednesday
