Columbus Crew 4-2 New York City FC
New York City FC suffered a 4-2 defeat against the Columbus Crew on Saturday. City took the lead after just four minutes through Alonso Martínez, but were pegged back by Columbus in the 17th minute through Diego Rossi. The hosts would then claim the lead in the 58th minute thanks to Max Arfsten. Mounsef Bakrar would draw the two sides level in the 86th minute before DeJuan Jones put Columbus ahead in second-half stoppage time. Columbus would add a fourth goal through Jacen Russell-Rowe.
Match Recap
A trip to the Buckeye State was next on the agenda for New York City FC as they took on the Columbus Crew on Saturday night.
The two sides were reuniting ten days after a Leagues Cup encounter, with City eager to claim a victory this time round.
There was a sense of déjà vu in the air when City took the lead early on through Alonso Martínez – this goal arriving some three minutes after his previous strike against Columbus.
Martínez received a pass from Tayvon Gray on the edge of the area and spun into space before dispatching it past Patrick Schulte.
City were forced into a first-half substitution after just 12 minutes when Matt Freese pulled up with a knee injury. The talented shot-stopper was replaced by teammate Luis Barraza between the sticks.
Columbus would draw level five minutes later after Diego Rossi bundled in a pass across goal from Christian Ramirez.
The visitors were keen to retake the lead before the half was over and in the 26th minute, Keaton Parks rose highest at a corner, but could not generate the power required to beat Schulte.
Columbus came close to scoring a second goal on the stroke of halftime after Ramirez was played in behind on the right and fired a shot low across Barraza’s goal.
City made a second enforced change of the half in stoppage time as James Sands could not continue due to a head injury. Coming on in Sands’ place was Justin Haak.
The start of the second half saw no changes for either side with both teams desperate to claim the game’s next goal.
City were inches from going ahead after a well-worked team move culminated in Santiago Rodríguez sliding Hannes Wolf in, but the Austrian could not bring the ball under his spell.
Columbus would claim the lead in the 58th minute after Rossi found Max Arfsten in behind on the left and he converted.
Cushing made three changes in the wake of that goal with Mounsef Barkar, Maxi Moralez, and Christian McFarlane coming on for Martínez, Kevin O’Toole, and Agustín Ojeda.
The substitutes had swung things back in City’s favor and in the 68th minute a brilliant cross from Tayvon Gray found Mounsef Bakrar free in the area, but he could not find the target.
City were knocking at the door and some well-time pressure from Keaton Parks allowed him to regain the ball and play in Rodríguez from a tight angle, but he could not keep his shot down.
A final change for City saw Julián Fernández replace Hannes Wolf in the 73rd minute.
City would be rewarded with an equalizer in the 86th minute after a blistering counterattack involving Fernández and Bakrar was finished by the latter with a ferocious effort.
Unfortunately, there would be heartbreak for City in stoppage time after DeJuan Jones put Columbus back in front. City were reduced to ten men in the wake of that goal after Fernández was dismissed for dissent.
A fourth Columbus goal would arrive before full-time after Jacen Russell-Rowe pounced on a rebound to convert from close range – the final score on the night confirming a 4-2 defeat for City.
Columbus Crew Goals: Rossi 17’, Arfsten 58’, Jones 90+3, Russell-Rowe 90+10
New York City FC Goals: Martínez 4’, Bakrar 86′
