Columbus 2-1 NYC FC
Columbus do a double over New York City FC this season thanks, once again, to Lucas Zelarayán's dead ball heroics (and, to be honest, some rather generous goalkeeping by NYC).
Columbus, with many starters missing on international duty, looked sloppy all match and were unable to possess the football for any length of time. All of our attacks were counterattacks. We had no success holding the ball up, with neither Miguel Berry nor Erik Hurtado achieving the same level of effectiveness as our usual starter Gyasi Zardes. Luckily, NYC were arguably just as sloppy. New York got behind Columbus' defense way too often, with our fullbacks constantly being bamboozled by the same runs from NYC's wide players. But NY's final ball was usually a hopeful punt into the mixer. Columbus ate up NY's corner attempts all day, but needed several really strong saves from Eloy Room to avoid conceding some dumb goals. Both Columbus goals were individual efforts from Darlington Nagbe and Lucas Zelarayán (his free kick was far too central but the keeper was shading the wrong side and leaped way too late).
We just need to get out of this international window and get our players back, hopefully uninjured. Still well in the playoff hunt and there's a long way to go.
Also happy to report that I didn't see a single fan in the stands wearing our hideous new crest. I'm not spending a dime on merch till they change it.
