The Columbus Crew’s record-setting 2024 regular season concluded on Saturday night against the club the Black & Gold will play when they kick off the postseason: the New York Red Bulls.
Hopefully, the future results will be similar in the postseason, too.
The Crew beat the Red Bulls, 3-2, at Red Bull Arena, as the side set a single-season club record with 66 points in a season. Thanks to an early goal – and a stoppage-time match winner – the Crew also set a new club record for 72 goals scored in a season.
It was a match full with emotional swings and fantastic moments that helped the reigning MLS Cup champs carry momentum into the postseason.
“Yeah, we had many highs, and after that, we had 10 minutes where we allowed New York Red Bulls to play their style, and they did it well,” head coach Wilfried Nancy said after the match. “I'm happy that it happened, to be honest with you, because we played a really good first half.
“After that, the second half was also interesting. We had a few minutes where we gave them the possibility to come back, and they did it. This is perfect because sometimes we have to feel certain things to get better. We found a way to win the game, and this is also good for the spirit.”
The visitors took the lead two minutes into the match when AZ scored his second goal for the Club.
Cucho Hernández lofted a lovely in-swinging cross into the box for AZ to nod home a goal less than 90 seconds in, setting the tone for the match.
Columbus doubled the lead a dozen minutes later when Yevhen Cheberko scored his first goal for the Club since he joined last season. Making a surging run into the box, AZ slotted a pass to the defender, who guided the ball home.
“I just see the open space, AZ gave me the perfect ball, it was a good touch and I just shoot, close my eyes and I scored the goal,” Cheberko said. “We talk about that, and we joke a lot with my teammates and also with my family [about not scoring before tonight]. I am so happy to score the goal. Maybe I opened my account here, and I hope I will score more.”
Adversity arrived in the second half, though.
Emil Forsberg scored in the 78th minute, then converted a penalty 87th minute.
That set the stage for Malte Amundsen to score the game winner in the 97th minute, sealing the win. The Dane drifted inside then unleashing a low, driven shot into the bottom right corner to earn Columbus three points on the road.
“It was nice, obviously,” Amundsen said of the goal. “I think the big celebration came because there's a lot of emotions after two frustrating goals that we conceded after playing a great game for a big amount of time and then conceding two right in the face that hurt a lot. I think I just let the emotions loose and celebrated when I got to score.”
With the two goals from the defenders were the Club’s franchise-high 17th and 18th unique goal scorers in MLS play this year, tied with six other clubs for fourth most in MLS history.
With the win, the Crew will play New York in the first round of the Audi 2024 MLS Cup Playoffs in a best-of-three format. Black & Gold supporters can secure a spot to see if Columbus can win back-to-back championships.
