The Columbus Crew continue their title defense this season, this time it took until the 100th minute to find the winner after Chicago proved to be a team that wouldn’t go away. Goals coming from Jacen Russell-Rowe and Mohamed Farsi for Columbus and the lone goal for Chicago was put away but Fabian Herbers.
The game started out all Chicago as in the opening fifteen minutes, the Crew could not get out of their own half, and it looked like Chicago would get an early lead through Maren Haile-Selassie, but Columbus keeper Patrick Schulte would be equal to the shot and keep things level.
As the second half grew, so did the Crew’s confidence as they started to ask questions of not only the Fire’s backline but also keeper Chris Brady who had a massive save later in the first half from a Diego Rossi free kick that look destined to hit the back of the net. Both teams struggled to find that clinical touch and the first half would finish goalless.
As second half started to look like Chicago would be the first to score as striker Hugo Cuypers was through on goal twice, once dragging it wide and the second time having it bounce off of the woodwork. It looked only a matter of time until the Fire score then seemingly out of nothing Columbus’s substitute Russell-Rowe would pick the ball from midfield and carry it all the way up Feild before unleashing a dipping longshot that would find itself in the bottom right of the goal and give Columbus the opening goal in the 68th minute.
It would not take the Fire long to equalize as just four minutes later it’d be Fabian Herbers who scored the equalizer after a fantastic team move saw Herbers have an empty net to fire the goal into. The goal originally was called back for offsides, but after a very lengthy VAR check the goal would be given and Chicago would be level.
Between the lengthy VAR check and an injury there would be twelve minutes added to the second half, setting up for an action back added time. Both teams threw caution to the wind, and it looked like it could anyway. Then in the 100th minute Diego Rossi would fire a low shot that Chris Brady would save but there would be nothing that Brady could do about Mohomed Farsi’s follow-up shot as it cushioned into the back of the net. The goal would not only give Columbus the win, but it was the latest game winning shot in MLS history.
What’s next for Columbus?
Columbus will continue their CONCACAF Champions Cup in the second leg against the Houston Dynamo, they host Houston on Tuesday, March 12th at 6pm after their 1-0 win in the away leg. As for the MLS league season they will be hosting New York Red Bulls on Saturday, March 16th as they look continue their undeafted season.
What’s next for Chicago?
Chicago is off to a rocky start as they are still looking for their first victory of the 2024 MLS season, they’ll have a chance to get on the right track as they host Montreal on March 16th at 2pm.
