Fan Appreciation night took on an enormous meaning for the Columbus Crew. Their playoff hopes were already rocky due to the 15 draws, late goals given up and Cucho Hernandez suspended for the final 2022 home game. A win was imperative.
So with the crowd urging the men from Columbus on, they were treated to a typical New York Red Bulls/Crew game…fouls, late craziness, but now, a shocking Crew win!
Derrick Etienne, subbed on in the 2nd half, scored twice in roughly four minutes to lift Columbus to a huge win over NYRB, 2-1. Fans were ecstatic over the 93’ added time winner! But the players and coaches were just as giddy!
Another one for Etienne! @ColumbusCrew with the go-ahead goal in stoppage time! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/qs63DOagiz
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 2, 2022
Photo by Charles Murray
First Half
The Red Bulls, in their all red kits, took the kickoff, and the Crew, sporting their all gold “canary kit” as fans call them, started the game like most games this year-stuck in quicksand. And most of the action came from the visitors from New York.
A 4-3-3 formation and no Cucho or Lucas Zelarayan (he started from the bench since getting back late from international duty) made the game plan sit and work on counters and NY errors.
In the 17th minute off a throw-in, NYRB midfielder Daniel Edelman almost scored on a one timer just past the bar on Room’s right. Shortly after that play, Edelman picks up the first yellow on a studs up slide tackle on Aidan Morris. The first half saw 15 fouls, with ten for the Red Bulls.
Photo by Charles Murray
Near NYRB goal
Columbus owned roughly 70% of the possession in the first half, but NY had one shot on goal. In the 43rd minute New York gets a corner that Crew goalie, Eloy Room, had to dive to his right to deny.
Eloy Room pushes it away 🧤#Crew96 | @PathwaysFCU pic.twitter.com/UX7fzn4Ljy
— El Crew (@ColumbusCrew) October 2, 2022
As the half closed, a collision between Room and New York center back Hassan Ndam was just another example of the physical play these two teams engage in whenever they play.
Second half
NYRB Goal!
In the 54’ Frankie Amaya, the former first overall pick in the 2019 MLS draft by FC Cincinnati, put the Red Bulls on the scoresheet. The Crew had four players guarding Red Bulls Elias Manoel, the Brazilian on loan from Gremio, a second tier league in South America. Columbus is able to clear but like usual in a bad place: the center of the pitch 10 feet in front of the box. Amaya finds the ball quickly and shoots through an opening in the Crew defense that kisses the right post.
Frankie Amaya from outside the box! 💥@NewYorkRedBulls find their opening goal. pic.twitter.com/TBkGJhhBY8
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 2, 2022
Crew Substitutes
Immediately after the goal, Crew coach Caleb Porter sends Lucas onto the pitch. About 16 minutes later, Jacen Russell-Rowe, the MLS NEXT Pro golden boot winner, and Derrick Etienne see the pitch. The game now takes a decidedly Columbus turn for the better.
The Black & Gold finally get a good chance in the 75’. Lucas finds a charging Etienne on the left. His shot goes just wide right. The Crew are beginning to push the action.
85’ Etienne is the recipient of a nice pass from the Crew’s #10 again. Alone on the right, Red Bulls goalie, Carlos Coronel, another Brazilian, is there for the massive save and gives the Crew a corner that they waste again. This would be a a recurring theme: poor set pieces and the balls sent in for those.
Crew Equalizes!
Derrick Etienne finds the laaaate equalizer for the @ColumbusCrew! pic.twitter.com/1I9JltVRJ8
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 2, 2022
Finally, in the 89’ minute Columbus gets the equalizer! A nice series of five passes on the right side of the pitch moves the ball into the Crew’s attacking third. Santos plays the ball back into the box where Mo Farsi, who came on shortly after Russell-Rowe and Etienne, chests it to an open Etienne. Turning his body to get the defender turned, he sends his shot to the right side of the net for the goal.
Stoppage Time Winner!
All year it seemed like stoppage time would be the death of this club. Late goals given, poor defending. But added time proved to FINALLY be the Crew’s best friend due to hard, physical work from the eleven on the pitch! And Porter noted this in his post game comments.
“I’m really proud of the group today because they did things they don’t necessarily like to do or want to do all the time. Nobody wakes up out of bed and says I’d like to smash my face 20 times off the back of somebody’s head to head the ball out or deal with long throw-ins all game or deal with direct play or get kicked.”
93’ Game Winner!
The winning goal starts with Darlington Nagbe on the ball at the middle of the pitch. He sends a pass to defender Steven Moreira on his right. Russell-Rowe makes a nice move to pull his defender just before Moreira sends a perfect ball to Lucas who lifts a sublime pass to Jacen. His shot is saved by Coronel but the rebound finds Etienne alone behind two defenders and touches it in.
Photo by Charles Murray
Jacen shoots late!
LATE HEROICS FROM DERRICK 🙌#Crew96 | 2-1 pic.twitter.com/PyYB0KX0IZ
— El Crew (@ColumbusCrew) October 2, 2022
Rowe’s run is vital for it opens space. Curling around his defender, he receives a wonder flick from Lucas. The one handed save opened the right side of the net for Etienne to score the game winner!
Good night. WE LOVE YA 🖤💛 pic.twitter.com/cQQiLRBNos
— El Crew (@ColumbusCrew) October 2, 2022
The Final Push!
Though the Crew still trail 7th place Miami on a tie-breaker, they have a game in hand. Columbus plays Wednesday vs Charlotte starting at minute 16’ when their lightning delayed game was postponed back in July.
Then on MLS’s Decison Day, the last day of the season, Columbus travels to Florida for a game against Orlando, already assured of a postseason spot.
Two chances for 6 points and they could be a team that spells trouble for others in the playoffs!
Nice way to end the home regular season for the fans who bleed Black & Gold when they aren’t bleeding Scarlet and Gray!
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