Mohamed Farsi received and controlled the ball along the sideline. He first stared at his rival, then attacked him head-on. Thanks to an outside hook, his marker was dropped and the Quebecer had the field clear. His low cross was perfect and put the Columbus Crew in a 2-0 lead against DC United.
It was with this score that Wilfried Nancy’s men extended their winning streak to three on Saturday, a series in which they outrageously outscored their rivals 12-1 on aggregate. All without their prolific designated player Cucho Hernández, it should be noted.
“Apart from the results, on the pitch we’re playing well and we’re getting to know each other. We are starting to play well in this system. Afterwards, when you play well, inevitably, the results come. It’s a matter of being consistent,” Farsi noted during a videoconference with La Presse.
And Farsi is an important cog in the Crew. The right piston played all 90 minutes in all games except the first of the campaign as he recovered from injury. A finding that does not completely surprise the former AS Blainville, limited to 79 minutes with the formation of Ohio in 2022.
On the theme of constancy, Farsi and Nancy go hand in hand. Farsi filled the right piston role in his first three years in professional soccer – now in his fourth – and has fit perfectly into the former CF Montreal head coach’s preferred system of two pistons.
“I’m used to playing in this position. It’s a formation that I like and that suits well with the efforts I make and my positioning. It allows me to play high, to press high and when we have the ball, I can let myself go offensively, “noted the one who already has two assists to his credit.
According to Farsi, the Crew’s success comes with the confidence that Nancy imparts to her players. And here we are talking about all players, without exception.
“He doesn’t come in players just to close the game,” Farsi added. If you go into the field, it’s because you have a job to do. It has to do with trust too. Whether you’re on the bench or not, everyone is on the same page. We all want to win and we all have the same mentality. »
The Quebecer was also able to count on a particular situation to help him make the transition to the first team.
Before earning a permanent spot in the Crew’s first team, Farsi toiled hard. After an inconclusive stint in Algeria, he returned to Canada in the Canadian Premier League with the Calgary Cavalry before joining Crew’s reserve team, Crew 2.
It was through his pact with Crew 2 that he had the chance on a few occasions to train with the first team, which helped him “get into the groove”. The 23-year-old’s few first-team minutes also helped him make the transition.
Nevertheless, what is certain since the start of the season is that Farsi is in full possession of his means and that he is developing as one of the anchor points of the Crew.
Farsi, who could represent Canada or Algeria on the international scene, said he has not yet received a call from one of the two national teams. Although he would answer the phone call from one or the other of the federations, he is not worried about this file for the moment. Farsi is “focused” on his club performances and his good performances will speak for themselves, he says.