Wilfried Nancy proves brilliance one again leading Crew to win in season opener | OneFootball

Excitement, uncertainty and cautious optimism are three terms that could be used to describe the feel of the season opener as the Crew kicked off their season at home on February 22. It was an uneven start for the home team, Chicago seemed intent to impose their will as Columbus seemed to be on their back foot for about the first 25 minutes of the first half. There was a level of confusion and tentativeness in the air as the game got underway, the Fire breaking through just 13 minutes in certainly didn't help. This goal seemed to wake the Crew up however as Nancy implored his team to pick up the effort and press, which the team responded to when Jacen Russell-Rowe opened his account for the season scoring the equalizer on the back of a press generating a turnover off a Chicago Fire goal kick. However, less than five minutes after came the go-ahead goal for Chicago as Brian Gutierrez scored his second goal less than 20 minutes into the game.

It was at this moment where Nancy's brilliance and control over this team shined through. A wild start, on the back foot, defense left asking questions on how to contain the Bamba/Gutierrez combo, Schulte not looking particularly sharp and the offense grinding to find a connecting pass. There was a time in the first half Nancy grabbed Stephen Moreira's attention and emboldened him to get more involved in the attack. From that moment on the Crew regained control and started dictating the play to Chicago. Once this happened they received the "luck" of an own goal to equalize the game in the 37th minute. Coach Nancy only believes in the provocation of luck through effort, which was showcased as the Crew were pressing Chicago who ran out of answers and were unable to match the intensity of the home team.

Reigning MLS Defender of the year for 2024 Stephen Moreira seemed to be the catalyst that helped Columbus find their footing. His ability in the attack caught put the Fire on edge and they seemed to never recover. Once he began imposing his will the team followed suit and started pressing much more aggressively leading to the game winning goal in stoppage time of the first half finding Diego Rossi on the end of a flawless Moreira cross. This was the back breaker and the moment the game was decided. Columbus added a fourth goal in the 50th minute for insurance, by that point the game was all but decided. When players aren't sharp, the team is feeling each other out, first game pressure of wanting to win for the home fans, it was the effort that was the story. A story that started with coach Nancy righting the ship and Moreira being his on-field captain.

First five and last five. This is the mantra that dictates so many results in the world of soccer. First five minutes of each half, first five minutes after a goal is scored and the last five minutes of each half. These are the moments where you can tell the kind of fingerprints the coach is leaving on the team. Coach Nancy wants aggressiveness, he wants to get the ball back as soon as it's lost. He desires his team to play an attacking style that can create chaos for opponents leading to opportunities in the attack. All of this takes maximum effort from the players on the pitch. It's not always easy when the legs are tired, emotions are high, things aren't going your way and you get behind in a game. It became clear Nancy has the pulse of this team. He knew the team needed a bit of a nudge after an ominous start and the team responded. This is the brilliance of Nancy. Getting the players to dig deep and grind when things aren't going their way. This was a Nancy-ball win for the Crew. Not the cleanest of games, but the effort can not be questioned.