Do or Kei: Kamara takes over as Columbus books place in Eastern Conference final
From hero, to villain, to hero once again.
Kei Kamara was everywhere in the second leg of the Eastern Conference semifinals between the Columbus Crew and Montreal Impact. He opened the scoring only four minutes into the fixture, missed a penalty kick he insisted on taking in the second half, and eventually produced a header in extra time that punched Columbus' ticket to the Eastern Conference Championship.
It was, simply put, 120 minutes of Kamara influencing the outcome of the Eastern Conference semifinals one way or another.
The forward put Columbus up on away goals in the game's opening moments, getting a head to a precision-perfect cross from left-back Waylon Francis.
Related - VIDEO: Columbus' Kamara needs only 4 minutes to open scoring vs. Montreal
Then, with Montreal up 3-2 on aggregate in the 67th minute, Columbus was awarded a contentious penalty after Ethan Finlay was brought down by Laurent Ciman. In a reminder that ball don't lie, Kamara, who talked Federico Higuain out of taking the 12-yard shot despite not having attempted a single penalty all season, saw his effort thwarted by a diving Evan Bush.
Related - VIDEO: Evan Bush stops Kei Kamara's penalty to preserve Montreal's advantage
Unfortunately for Bush, Columbus forced extra time by virtue of a goal from Finlay that leveled the aggregate at 3-3, paving the way for Kamara to do the phenomenal and subsequently break down with emotion.
It was an incredible moment for a player who fled Sierra Leone at the age of six when a civil war tore apart the country, yet it was one that was all too familiar to supporters of Columbus, who have witnessed his aerial abilities all season long.
Columbus will take on the Harrison New York Red Bulls in the Eastern Conference Championship.
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