Crew Clinch Playoff Spot Despite Road Loss to Chicago Fire
Despite a 2-0 defeat on the road against the Chicago Fire on September 27, the Columbus Crew secured a coveted spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs, thanks to a crucial result in another match: a 3-2 loss for the New York Red Bulls against New York City FC.
The Crew’s performance at Soldier Field was marked by offensive struggles in the first half, failing to register a single shot while the Fire created several opportunities that were ultimately nullified by offside and foul calls. Chicago broke the deadlock in the 25th minute with a remarkable goal from forward Andrew Gutman, a shot that deflected off both the crossbar and the right goalpost before crossing the goal line.
The Fire extended their lead in the 70th minute through forward Hugo Cuypers, who skillfully flicked the ball over Crew goalkeeper Evan Bush on a counterattack. Throughout the match, Chicago dominated possession, finishing with 22 total shots compared to Columbus’ seven, with only two on target.
Columbus faced significant challenges entering the contest, missing five regular starters due to injury, including striker Wessam Abou Ali and forward Diego Rossi. Crew coach Wilfried Nancy made the decision to start Bush in goal, and the veteran recorded six saves despite the two goals conceded.
Several substitutions were made throughout the game as the Crew attempted to spark a comeback. Defender Yevhen Cheberko was replaced by Cesar Ruvalcaba, midfielder Lassi Lappalainen came on for Andres Herrera, and forward Jacen Russell-Rowe subbed in for Daniel Gazdag. Late in the second half, Bush was briefly forced off the field after taking a shot to the face from Cuypers, with defender Malte Amundsen stepping up to make a crucial block and clear the ball.
The match was not without its share of controversial moments. A VAR review overturned a goal for Chicago after determining defender Sam Rogers was offside. Earlier, Gutman had another goal disallowed due to a foul.
Here’s a look at the unavailable players for the Crew:
- Striker Wessam Abou Ali (ankle injury)
- Defender Rudy Camacho (thigh injury)
- Midfielder Mo Farsi (thigh injury)
- Forward Diego Rossi (hamstring injury)
- Defender Sean Zawadzki (knee injury)
The Crew (13-7-11, 50 points) currently sits eighth in the Eastern Conference, while Chicago (13-11-6, 45 points) is closely behind in ninth. If the season concluded today, both teams would participate in a play-in game to advance to the first round of the playoffs.
The top five teams in the Eastern Conference as of September 27 are:
- Philadelphia Union (18-7-6: 60 points)
- FC Cincinnati (18-9-4: 58 points)
- Inter Miami (17-6-7: 58 points)
- Charlotte FC (17-12-2: 53 points)
- New York City FC (16-10-5: 53 points)
Fans could follow the action on Alt 105.7 FM and the iHeartRadio app, with Chris Doran providing English-language commentary. Spanish-language coverage was available on La Grande 103.1 FM and the La Grande radio app, featuring Juan Valladares. The match was also streamed via MLS Season Pass on Apple TV, with Tyler Terens and Kyndra de St. Aubin calling the game in English and Oscar Salazar and Jaime Macias providing Spanish commentary.
Despite the loss, the Crew’s playoff berth is secured, setting the stage for a competitive postseason run.
