If it wasn’t already a given that Columbus Crew SC had the match of matches in the first round of the MLS is Back Tournament, Major League Soccer’s Team of the Week selections put a stamp on it.
The Black & Gold saw three players, forward Gyasi Zardes, playmaker Lucas Zelarayan and midfielder Darlington Nagbe all selected to the best eleven players from the first round of tournament action. It was the most selections from a Crew side since Week 4 of the 2017 MLS season when Federico Higuain, Artur and Harrison Afful were named to the Team of the Week after a thrilling 3-2 victory against a Portland Timbers side then-coached by Caleb Porter.