Hello and welcome back to “The view from the Nordecke,” where I try to distill the vibes in the terraces for Columbus Crew fans’ reading pleasure.
The energy heading into kickoff on Saturday around Lower.com Foeld was electric, propelled by the first game day at home with decent weather this season. The Nordecke was buoyed early on by a big chance for Derrick Etienne Jr. that went just wide and then again when Lucas Zelarayan’s free kick hit the crossbar, eliciting disappointed groans.
Orlando City SC’s goal scored by Rodrigo Schlegel took the air out of the building and persistent calls of offside from the spectators that built all the way into a bonafide “VAR” chant came to nothing as the referee gave the goal after some tantalizing touching of his earpiece.