Columbus Crew SC: Kamara replaced by Kamara

What happens when you replace a cocky attitude with a confident one? It took a trade and a couple of weeks, but Columbus Crew SC quickly found out.

After Kei Kamara’s incident being the straw that broke the camel’s back a few weeks ago led to a trade, Columbus Crew signed his replacement, Norwegian forward Ola Kamara, and showed what confidence, not cockiness, truly looks like on the pitch with a 4-3 win over Real Salt Lake Saturday night.

All it took was three MLS starts for the striker to accomplish a feat that Kei couldn’t accomplish in Columbus- Ola Kamara scored his first career hat trick ultimately giving Columbus Crew the much-needed win against Real Salt Lake. Fans, teammates, and the club alike shared in the celebration of the win with Kamara.

Kamara went into the game on Saturday with a positive mindset knowing that not scoring wasn’t an option after already having two outings that resulted with the player remaining scoreless. In a post-game interview per MLS news Kamara said “I felt really good today, before the game. I felt like I was going to score.” Score he did- again and again.

More from Playing for 90

Head coach Gregg Berhalter is, obviously, pretty pleased with Kamara stepping into his role of replacing Kei. After discussing the pressure on Ola for replacing one of the best scorers in the league and their confidence in his training Berhalter said “It’s difficult for a striker when you have that pressure on you, but Ola’s been handling it very well.” He then was absolutely sure to extend the credit to the rest of the team who assisted throughout the match.

After a 2015 season that left Columbus Crew SC with the prediction that they are and would be one of the most dangerous, attacking offensive teams in the MLS this is much-needed progress and momentum that the rest of the team, offense and defense alike, can use going in to the rest of the season after coming off of a four game winless drought.

There is a fine line between confidence and cockiness and I think that is something that is extremely important for any athlete at any level to remember. It’s important to remember that you aren’t irreplaceable and attitude can mean everything in the grand scheme of things.

Ola Kamara’s hat trick in just three MLS starts could speak measures for Columbus as they try to move forward after getting rid of presumably one of the best scorers in the league; as they move on with the rest of their roster for the rest of the season. It could also speak measures for the attitudes of many players on the field. So you think you’re the best there’s ever been? You think that the team would be essentially nothing without you? Watch how you can be replaced!

Columbus Crew SC is set to face Philadelphia on Wednesday, June 1 in what they hope will prove to be another progressive game in their attacking and scoring momentum.

Home/MLS