Crew Coverage pres. by Medical Mutual | Nancy: Crew ‘courageous’ against Inter Miami

Yes, Wilfried Nancy was frustrated when he walked into his post-match press conference knowing the Columbus Crew lost both the match and a chance to win the Supporters’ Shield.

However, his remarks weren’t ones of anger or disappointment, but ones that praised the defending MLS Cup champions continuing to fight through adversity.

“[The match] was a good example that if we are ready to compete with 10 men, we were still proactive, we were still brave, we were still courageous,” Nancy said after the 3-2 loss against Inter Miami CF on Wednesday night.

“We were close to coming back and to tie the game and maybe, I don't know, win the game after that. When I watched the three goals that we conceded, for sure we cannot give a goal like this because it's all about details. We got punished for that.”

In a bout between the top two teams in the Eastern Conference the Crew were on the front foot and controlling the through the first 45 minutes of play. Each tackle was celebrated by the faithful at Lower.com Field, who knew the enormity of the occasion.

The visitors found their breakthrough in the 45th minute, though, when Lionel Messi scored from a long ball played over the midfield. Five minutes later, he scored from a long-range free kick.

“Messi is Messi,” Nancy said. “He has one-and-a-half opportunities, and he scored two goals. This is why he's Messi.”

But Columbus responded.

Seconds into the second half, Diego Rossi pulled the Crew within a goal via a lovely back-post curler, livening up the crowd once more. The goal, which came on a swift attack, was Rossi’s 20th goal contribution in the last 20 matches across all competitions.

But Miami responded, too, and reclaimed a two-goal lead via Luis Suárez two minutes later.

Cucho Hernández then converted a penalty kick in the 61st minute to keep the match within a goal. The goal was Cucho’s 17th in league play this season, which is a career best. He’s now the Club’s fifth-all time scorer with 56 goals, surpassing Stern John.

However, for a second time in the second half, adversity arrived after a pivotal Crew moment. In the 63rd minute, Rudy Camacho received a second yellow and was sent off, reducing Columbus to 10 men. Less players on the pitch didn’t slow down the intensity, though.

“That's one of the positives we could take away from this,” Max Arfsten said. “Just no matter what happens to us, whether it's 10 men, the game's not going our way, we know that we can fight back and push through adversity.”

The Crew had the opportunity to equalize via a second Cucho penalty kick, but it was saved.

With that, the Crew remain second in the Eastern Conference with three matches remaining in the 2024 regular season. There’s little time to dwell on Wednesday, as the side hosts the Philadelphia Union on Saturday night at Lower.com Field in a Leagues Cup semifinal rematch.

“You know, we haven’t talked about Supporters’ Shield, first, second or third,” captain Darlington Nagbe said. “We just talk about just playing every single game, approaching every single game the same, which is everything, which is what we've done all year. So, yeah, I don't think anything changes. We play the next game. We try to win.”