Sports Features of Saturday, 2 July 2016
Source: footballghana.com
Since his return from a knee injury that sidelined him for two months, Chicago’s Designated Player has been on an offensive tear that has again made him one of the most feared attacking players in the MLS.
Entering Friday’s home test vs. San Jose (7 p.m. CT, UniMas), the Ghanaian international has netted five goals and an assist in his last five games across the league and U.S. Open Cup play, giving him seven goals in nine appearances this season.
But in a slight shift from his debut 2015 season and even earlier this year, Accam — now allowed to operate almost exclusively up top rather than on the wing — is hurting opposing teams in ways that go beyond simply out-pacing his defender in the open field.
Columbus Crew SC head coach Gregg Berhalter said as much on Tuesday night, expressing a belief that Crew SC did well to manage Accam’s speed but still saw him find the net on two occasions.
“The first (goal), fantastic shot, great quality,” Berhalter said. “The second one wasn’t about his speed, it was about our positioning in the penalty box. He’s dangerous, you know he’s going to get some opportunities, and you try to limit that. Two goals, it looked like he had a great game, but in my eyes, the guys did a good job.”
Accam’s 2016 campaign opened much like last, running beyond the NYCFC backline time and again on Opening Day before torching Orlando City SC’s Seb Hines for a goal in week two.
There is still plenty of that, to be sure, as the Philadelphia Union learned in the second minute of Chicago’s June 22 match at Talen Energy Stadium.
.@jcali10 gets one back for @ChicagoFire. #COLvCHI https://t.co/L1Qi2faJBY
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 19, 2016
Well that was quick. Emphasis on the quick. David Accam races past the @PhilaUnion defense to take the early lead. https://t.co/Rm4H50wiln
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 22, 2016