The latest rendition of Hell is Real might have finished level, but it was clear to everyone inside Lower.com Field that the Columbus Crew are still the team that dominates this rivalry – and the state.
Of course, the problem was the scoreboard didn’t reflect it.
On Saturday night, the Black & Gold pushed FC Cincinnati to the brink, but the goal that was always coming never came, and the teams settled with points shared in a clash atop the Eastern Conference.
“We were almost there,” head coach Wilfried Nancy said after the match. “That's why football is so difficult. There are certain things sometimes that are irrational. They are disappointed because they know that we could have scored more goals, but again, I'm confident that it will come.”
The visitors scored first via Kévin Denkey after six minutes, but from there, Columbus controlled the match. Wave after wave of gold kits crashed into the Cincinnati box, pressing for an equalizer. Eventually, it came in the 54th minute when Diego Rossi converted a penalty – his team-leading seventh goal this season.
Yes, Columbus supporters are used to the Crew taking over games, but perhaps not to this level in a game of this magnitude. All Cincinnati could do was bunker down.
For a six-minute spell beginning in the 70th minute, the Black & Gold pinned the visitors into their own box and delivered one threatening corner after another. One should-be goal after another.
The atmosphere was a legitimate frenzy, as Rossi encouraged fans to get louder and louder.
But still, there was no second goal.
Max Arfsten laced a shot that Roman Celetano somehow blocked. Jacen Russell-Rowe had two headers – one off target, one perfectly slotted in the bottom corner. Steven Moreira had a header fly just over the bar.
“I felt all the emotion. I was yelling, I was crying internally, I was shouting and I was smiling. …With a lot of respect with Cincinnati, tonight was not difficult because we created many chances. The goal that they scored – no problem – but again, we can do better.
“Again, tonight it was our game, but at the end of the day, we didn't win. Again, with all respect with Cincinnati, we did everything, we did everything.”
The draw was a reminder that multiple things can be true. Nancy, given the importance of the match, called it one of the best performances of the season. But he also said it was two points dropped because Columbus tied a match it should’ve won.
Equally, it’s clear the Black & Gold deserve credit for generating attacking chances and goal-scoring opportunities, but they need to bury them. Nancy and his players all agree.
“It's football. When you play this kind of game, football, the most difficult thing is to finish, we know that,” Nancy said. “It was an unbelievable game regarding it was wave after wave after wave. After that, yeah, execution, final execution from everyone because we had the possibility to score many goals.
“It was amazing the atmosphere with the fans. The second half, also, for 30 minutes – they were behind us. It was unbelievable. We missed the extra goal, but I'm really, really, really, really proud of the performance that we had against one of the teams that maybe they're going to compete for the title. This is the context.”
For now, Columbus must settle with a draw. Come July 12 when the clubs meet again in Cincinnati, everyone inside TQL Stadium will know what the Crew are capable of. Hopefully, they’ll capitalize.
