Crew’s Lucas Zelarayán returns to MLS Most Valuable Player race

Think back all the way to March. It wasn’t nearly 100 degrees outside and there weren’t storm delays every match. On the field, the Columbus Crew owned the month, scoring 10 goals in four games led offensively by midfielder Lucas Zelarayán. There were of course cracks in the armor, like set piece defending and lackluster scoring by Black & Gold forwards, but Zelarayán’s four goals and an assist put the Argentinian, and Columbus, near the top of the league.

Then a flurry of injuries and team changes took the spotlight away from the Crew’s offensive facilitator. But in early August, Zelarayán’s name is back in the conversation for Major League Soccer’s MVP.

That beginning of Zelarayán’s season…