The Columbus Crew earned an impressive point and moved to four matches unbeaten on Sunday afternoon with a 1-1 draw with Seattle Sounders FC at Lumen Field.
Head coach Wilfried Nancy said his side’s mindset and competitive spirit helped the visitors in this 2020 MLS Cup rematch.
“We attacked the box, but the last pass was a bit difficult and so on,” Nancy said. “I like the way we were able to bounce back [following the equalizer]. That's why we provoked the red card. I think that this is the story of the game. We have to accept that sometimes it's difficult, and when it's difficult, mindset has to be here and after that to regain confidence and to regain the ball. This is what we did.”
Columbus struck first in the 27th minute via a lovely team goal that broke through the Seattle lines. After breaking through the midfield, then the defense, Ibrahim Aliyu played a perfectly-weighted pass toward Diego Rossi, who finished the movement and scored his 10th goal of the 2025 campaign.
“We were patient so we knew that we have to manipulate the ball in a good way to find the opening. This is what we did,” Nancy said. “A really good goal regarding how to be patient but how also to recognize the opening to attack. This is what we want. It was good.”
The Sounders equalized in the 43rd minute, though, and had the better goalscoring opportunities in the second half. But the Columbus backline and Evan Bush, who made his fourth-straight start, kept the home side quiet.
“It was two good teams, two structured teams, two well-coached teams kind of playing cat-and-mouse, give-and-take a little bit,” Bush said. “The momentum kind of switched back and forth a few times. It was a fun game in terms of the tactics presented by both sides. We both had to be a little bit more diligent and respect what the other team could do. I think you saw that where it wasn't as free and open as maybe some other games would be because it’s two good teams.”
Unfortunately, though, this match won’t be remembered for how it happened but how it ended.
Deep in second-half stoppage time, Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei suffered a severe head and neck injury trying to clear a Columbus goal-scoring opportunity. Frei left the field in an ambulance.
Following the injury, both coaches decided to abandon the final moments of the match, when Columbus would’ve had a last-second corner kick.
“Listen, when we see that, football is not important,” Nancy said. “First of all, I asked what happened because I didn't see. After that, I told them that I am ready to stop the game because [the game] is not important. That's it. After that, we move on.”
With the draw, the Crew will continue on the road next weekend when they face Supporters’-Shield leading FC Cincinnati in the Hell is Real Derby at TQL Stadium.
