'This is happening now': How Sean Zawadzki ended up in goal for Crew vs Seattle Sounders
There was a specific situation that Crew fans and personnel joked would eventually happen for Sean Zawadzki. Many figured that after appearing at nearly every position under coach Wilfried Nancy, Zawadzki would at one point play a game at goalkeeper.
A series of unfortunate events made the joke a reality on Saturday against the Seattle Sounders.
Replay: Crew fall 4-0 vs Seattle Sounders with Sean Zawadzki at GK for Columbus
The Crew lost to the Sounders 4-0 at Lower.com Field, giving up all four goals after a red card was handed to goalkeeper Abraham Romero in stoppage time of the first half. The ejection put the Crew down a man and forced Nancy to call upon Zawadzki to play goalie for the remainder of the game.
Romero was the only goalkeeper on the Crew's roster Saturday, as Patrick Schulte and Nicholas Hagen were playing for their respective international teams. Veteran Evan Bush is sidelined with an arm injury.
In most cases, the Crew could call up a Crew 2 goalkeeper as a backup for the match, but Stanislav Lapkes and Cole Johnson, the only goalkeepers under Crew 2 contract, were ineligible for short-term contracts. A short-term contract allows an MLS NEXT Pro player on the first team roster for four days, but there is a maximum of four contracts per player per season, and Lapkes and Johnson have used their allotment this year.
Rather than take questions from the media, Nancy used his postgame press conference to express frustration with how MLS handled the situation. The Crew have played 39 games this season, and this game was rescheduled from June to the FIFA September international window.
"I was not happy before the game, and all the week when it happened I was not happy because there is this rule," Nancy said. "We traded for a fourth goalkeeper, knowing that we could have a situation like this today. When we asked (the league) before the game to have another call-up for our goalkeeper from the reserve team, they said no.
"There is a clear evolution about the way we do things and the numbers of games that we have. ... We have games, we are pleased with that, and we are proud of that. But I cannot understand when there is a lack of coherence with simple rules."
Zawadzki recorded two saves in 45 minutes. Three of the four Sounders goals were scored by Albert Rusnak. The loss marked the Crew's largest margin of loss of the season.
Sean Zawadzki was uncertain in postgame how Columbus Crew goalkeeper Abraham Romero earned a red card
The play on which Romero earned his red card on started with Seattle forward Jordan Morris receiving a pass from Cristian Roldan, and Zawadzki jumped in the air to clear the ball just outside the Crew box. Romero also made a leap, causing a collision with Morris and Zawadzki.
"From my perspective, it was a ball over the top," Zawadzki said. "I cleared it, then I collided with Abraham. So, I’m confused. Maybe have to watch it back or something, but for me personally it was, I collided with Abraham. So, that’s kind of all I remember from the situation."
Romero's left arm hit both Morris and Zawadzki in the head, which led to the straight red card for Romero. In addition to the red card, Seattle was awarded a free kick at the top of the box, one that Zawadzki would attempt, and fail, to save seconds after starting at goalkeeper.
"I didn't think it was going to be a red," Zawadzki said. "When they (the officials) said it was, it was like, 'Holy crap, this is happening now.' So, I run over to the bench and do whatever I can to prepare myself for the situation."
Columbus Crew forced to put Sean Zawadzki at goalkeeper flipped the game on its head
Before Zawadzki took over as goalkeeper, the Crew were controlling the possession battle and had taken six shots compared to Seattle's two, though none of Columbus' were on goal. The front line, which featured midseason acquisitions Dylan Chambost and Aziel Jackson, struggled to find chemistry with the regular starters.
The starting lineup was heavily rotated due to missing six players to international duty and defender Malte Amundsen being suspended on yellow-card accumulation, with six in the regular season.
Zawadzki started the game as a center back rather than his normal center midfield. Already having a handful of games at center back, Zawadzki entered into the match unfazed by the original change but was unable to say the same about stepping in as goalkeeper.
Zawadzki said he had not logged a minute of competitive soccer at goalkeeper.
"It was a completely uncomfortable situation for me, and don't really know what to do in the situation, obviously," Zawadzki said. "I just (tried) to do what I could for the guys. They continuously fought all game, for 45-plus minutes down a man, and continued to put on an effort. And for me, (it was) just to try and give them some hope that, if there's a shot, I can hopefully save one."
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Crew fall to Seattle Sounders without backup GK: Takeaways
