Crew SC, Revs Go Toe-to-Toe in 2-2 Draw

Photo Credit: Julie Jackson

Columbus Crew SC 2-New England Revolution 2

A goal-filled first half gave way to a furious race for the winner in the second frame as Columbus Crew SC and the New England Revolution battled to a 2-2 draw on Saturday at MAPFRE Stadium.

An Andrew Farrell own goal gave the hosts the lead inside of nine minutes before Teal Bunbury brought it back to level terms in the 14th minute. Gyasi Zardes briefly restored the Crew SC advantage in the 43rd minute until Cristian Penilla equalized in the 45+1 minute.

Columbus keeper Zac Steffen made three saves while his counterpart Matt Turner also made a trio of stops to ensure the match stayed level once the final whistle screeched.

Columbus and New England each came into the match coming off disappointing losses the previous weekend, and it was clear both were eager to put those defeats in the rear view.

Not surprisingly, Federico Higuain led the charge, and in the ninth minute, he found Milton Valenzuela on the left flank. Valenzuela proceeded to whip a cross into the six, where Turner and Farrell both went for the ball before the defender accidently steered it into his own net.

However, the guests weren’t in the hole for long. Five minutes after Farrell’s own goal, Penilla picked out Bunbury inside the box, where the Revolution striker pushed it just inside the far post to make it a one all match.

Both sides mounted furious bids for the go ahead, and Columbus claimed paydirt in the minutes before the break. Higuian sent it ahead to Zardes, who ran at goal and uncorked a low drive that eluded Turner to give Crew SC what looked like a lead it’d carry into halftime.

But appearances were deceiving for the hosts as the Revolution fired up one more advance in stoppage time, where Agudelo chipped it left for Penilla, who blasted it through on the volley to put the match on level terms with only seconds remaining in the first half.

Based upon how the first half unfolded, the final 45 seemed to promise more goals from both sides. And that’s exactly how Crew SC and the Revolution operated in the second half.

In the 49th minute, Zardes uncovered a clear shot inside the box that was thwarted by a last-gasp block by Jalil Anibaba. A minute later, Jonathan Mensah hit a Higuain cross off the bar as the guests collectively exhaled.

Not to be outdone, New England nearly broke through in the 68th minute when Diego Fagundez put it in front of Penilla, who blasted a shot that was denied by Steffen.

Seconds after Penilla’s attempt, Anibaba was called upon to make another bold save when he withstood a powerful shot from Higuain in the 70th minute.

In the 70th minute, Bunbury glanced a pass from Farrell toward the near post before Steffen made another diving save to deny him.

With time winding down, the Penilla grabbed a pass from Fagundez that beat Steffen but was kept out of the net by a Mensah, who arrived just in time to keep Penilla from scoring his second goal of the game.

In an ending befitting of Saturday’s fast and furious clash between MLS originals, Anibaba diffused a potential Adam Jahn winner, but not before he pushed the ball off his own post in the dying seconds.