Attacking midfielder Federico Higuain, who had hernia surgery four weeks ago, has returned to practice. That is terrific news for Crew SC because if the team is going to have the greatest second half in Major League Soccer history, it is going to need Pipa. Probably, it is going to need Messi, too.
Management has not said that Higuain is the answer for all the team’s ills, but it has suggested that his absence — and that of center back Gaston Sauro — is the main reason the Crew has not won an MLS game since May 28.