2023 Columbus Crew 2023 Week 1 Feature: Aidan Morris and Darlington Nagbe: Season starts at Philadelphia Union Saturday

Aidan Morris
Aidan Morris Darlington Nagbe Crew 2023 Week 1 Preview at Philadelphia 2 21 23.mp3
Darlington Nagbe

FROM WIKIPEDIA COMMONS

Aidan Morris Columbus Career

2020 season

Morris was announced as a homegrown player signing by the Columbus Crew on January 14, 2020. He made his professional debut in a July 11 match during the MLS is Back Tournament, coming on late in a 4–0 trouncing of in-state rival FC Cincinnati. He made his second appearance for the Crew on July 16, coming off the bench for an injured Darlington Nagbe in the 67th minute of a 2–0 win against New York Red Bulls. He made his first start for the Crew in October 2020. Overall, Morris made eleven appearances for the Crew during the 2020 MLS season. To cap off the season, on December 12, 2020 he became the youngest player in league history to start in MLS Cup as he helped guide the Crew to a 3–0 win over the Seattle Sounders.

2021 season

Morris started the first game of the 2021 season for the Crew, a 4–0 win against Real Estelí in the round of 16 of the CONCACAF Champions League. Morris again started the second leg against Real Esteli, however, he left the game in the fourth minute of what was a 1–0 victory for Columbus with an ACL injury that sidelined him for the entirety of the 2021 MLS season.

Darlington Nagbe Columbus Crew Career

On November 13, 2019, Columbus Crew SC acquired Nagbe in exchange for $700,000 in Targeted Allocation Money, $150,000 in General Allocation Money in 2020, $200,000 in Target Allocation Money for the 2021 MLS season, and an international roster spot. Nagbe was reunited with his mentor at Akron, Caleb Porter. On August 20, 2020, Nagbe scored his first goal for Columbus in a 3–0 win against Chicago Fire. This goal would be named the 2020 MLS goal of the year, Nagbe’s second time winning the award after doing so in 2011. At the conclusion of the regular season, Nagbe had the highest pass completion percentage in MLS with 95%, a feat he had previously accomplished in 2017 with the Portland Timbers. After leading the Crew through the regular season and playoffs, he missed the MLS Cup Final with coronavirus Columbus won that game, giving Nagbe his third MLS Cup.

in 2021, Nagbe was an integral part of the Crew team. With injuries plaguing the midfield, Nagbe missed only one game the entirety of the MLS regular season, while also only missing a combined 150 minutes. 

During the 2022 season, Nagbe was named to the MLS All-Star Game, playing the first half of a 2–1 victory against the Liga MX All-Stars

COURTESY COLUMBUS CREW