Crew Coverage pres. by Medical Mutual | Nancy: ‘This is us’ after road win at D.C. United

For the third time in club history – and first time since the 2020 MLS Cup-winning campaign – the Columbus Crew are unbeaten through the opening six matches of the regular season thanks to a 2-1 win Saturday night against D.C. United at Audi Field.

The second road win of the year was a classic example of the Black & Gold playing through adversity to earn a positive result.

Trailing after 13 minutes via a Christian Benteke goal, the visitors responded through Diego Rossi three minutes later. D.C. tried to clear a Columbus corner, but the visitors won the ball high up the pitch. From there, Andrés Hererra earned his first MLS assist when he found Rossi in the box, who scored his third goal of the campaign.

“I’m going to add that before the goal of Benteke that we had two big chances that we missed,” head coach Wilfried Nancy said after the match. “After that, we punished, I would say, by the goal of D.C. Again, they stay on the task, they stay in the moment, and we go back, we take the ball, and we try to attack and attack and attack again. This is the answer.

“This is something that again, we try to, to provoke every day during practice, no matter what happens, to go back and try to get better. This is what they did. This is us. This is the way we are. We're going to try to do a lot of times and try to get better.”

Columbus claimed the lead in the 65th minute via an exquisite finish from Rossi for his second of the night and fourth this year. The match was the Uruguayan’s second multi-goal game this season and first since Crewsmas.

“He deserved it, simple as that,” Nancy said. “He is the first defender when we defend. He's able to play in different positions. Today, I gave him a task specifically how to be available to move between the lines. He did it well. After that, we changed tactically something again. The players, when they see a player like that, they are coming to fight also for him. I’m really happy for him.”

Points aside, it’s important to remember Columbus has continued displaying its trademark Nancyball playing style through this unbeaten streak.

Regardless of score lines, the Black & Gold have kept the stance that by focusing on the process, it’ll lead to outcomes. This was the case Saturday in the nation’s capital.

“The way we try to approach the game, home and away, we try to play the way we want to play, and we try to fight the way we want to fight,” Nancy said. “Today, what I love is this capacity to play but also to fight. They raised the intensity, but we were able to match their intensity. …The game away is the same.

“Home and away, we try to challenge ourselves to have a good performance, and after that, we see the outcome.”