After a weather delay of more than two hours, the Columbus Crew and LA Galaxy kicked off their match Wednesday at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field. The Crew came away with their first home win of the season, downing LA, 2-1, in a physical battle. Here are our three takeaways from the action Wednesday:

1.    The Crew took a 1-0 lead on Daniel Gazdag’s goal at the 41-minute mark. In matches this season, the Black & Gold have struggled to protect leads in the second half, but on Wednesday, they got a second goal right out of the break when Diego Rossi scored just a minute in. Head coach Henrik Rydström noted, “Of course, the second goal gives you a little bit more calmness and we could play with confidence.”

2.   The Columbus defense was once again the star of the match. The Crew outshot LA 14-7 and allowed the Galaxy to get only one attempt on goal. LA managed just one corner kick on the night. The Black & Gold were physical throughout, recording 13 fouls compared to five for the Galaxy.

3.   The Crew will test their mettle in the next two weeks. Wednesday’s match began an arduous stretch that sees the Black & Gold play three more times at home in just eight days. Philadelphia Union will be in Columbus Saturday, followed by a U.S. Open Cup contest with the USL’s One Knoxville SC next Wednesday. The homestand wraps up with a match against Minnesota United FC on Saturday, May 2.