Goalkeeper Takes Blame for Blowout
While striker Robbie Findley and his teammates celebrated their dazzling 4-1 victory over defending champion Columbus in the home opener at Rio Tinto Stadium tonight, the guy who was next-most-responsible for the result was taking blame for the Crew.
“This game is on me,” goalkeeper William Hesmer said.
Yeah, you could agree with that.
If Hesmer corrals Will Johnson's free kick in the second minute, Findley doesn't get a chance to put the rebound past him for an early goal. And if Hesmer doesn't kick his attempted clearing pass right to Findley at the top of the box, Findley can't easily dribble around him for his second goal in the 29th minute. And if none of that happens, maybe RSL has a harder time winning its first season opener since the team's inaugural season.
“I am there to keep our team in the game, not to put us behind the eight ball,” Hesmer said. “This game is on me. … You can’t be giving goals away and keep giving them momentum.”
Hesmer said his biggest mistake was that pass that led to the second of Findley's three goals. The one that coach Robert Warzycha called "silly," from which the Crew "never came back from."
“It can be one mistake that kills you,” Hesmer said. “You give up an early goal, and then give up a bad goal like that, it was just bad timing on my part to give that goal up.”
Of course, Hesmer couldn't take the blame for the degree to which Findley and Yura Movsisyan were running roughshod over the Crew's back line all night. And sure, defender Frankie Hejduk wasn't available after playing 90 minutes for the U.S. national team in a World Cup qualifier last night, but still … the Crew had no answer for the steady threat that RSL provided — even if Movsisyan missed on as many chances as Findley converted.
“We just figure if we do what we know we’re good at, like pressing and staying compact on defense, we’ll get the opportunities,” Findley said. “We’ve just got to focus and put them away. Pressing and getting an early goal is what we’re trying to do.”
“This game is on me,” goalkeeper William Hesmer said.
Yeah, you could agree with that.
If Hesmer corrals Will Johnson's free kick in the second minute, Findley doesn't get a chance to put the rebound past him for an early goal. And if Hesmer doesn't kick his attempted clearing pass right to Findley at the top of the box, Findley can't easily dribble around him for his second goal in the 29th minute. And if none of that happens, maybe RSL has a harder time winning its first season opener since the team's inaugural season.
“I am there to keep our team in the game, not to put us behind the eight ball,” Hesmer said. “This game is on me. … You can’t be giving goals away and keep giving them momentum.”
Hesmer said his biggest mistake was that pass that led to the second of Findley's three goals. The one that coach Robert Warzycha called "silly," from which the Crew "never came back from."
“It can be one mistake that kills you,” Hesmer said. “You give up an early goal, and then give up a bad goal like that, it was just bad timing on my part to give that goal up.”
Of course, Hesmer couldn't take the blame for the degree to which Findley and Yura Movsisyan were running roughshod over the Crew's back line all night. And sure, defender Frankie Hejduk wasn't available after playing 90 minutes for the U.S. national team in a World Cup qualifier last night, but still … the Crew had no answer for the steady threat that RSL provided — even if Movsisyan missed on as many chances as Findley converted.
“We just figure if we do what we know we’re good at, like pressing and staying compact on defense, we’ll get the opportunities,” Findley said. “We’ve just got to focus and put them away. Pressing and getting an early goal is what we’re trying to do.”
posted by www.sltrib.com @ 10:59 PM |
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