HARRISON, N.J. – New York Red Bulls eliminate the Columbus Crew SC from the MLS Cup Playoffs on Saturday night at Red Bull Arena in a dramatic shootout that saw Carlos Coronel make three consecutive saves. The win, which also saw Dante Vanzeir and Emil Forsberg score during regulation time, marks a second consecutive win over the Crew in one of the biggest upsets in the 2024 playoffs.
Columbus needed the win and pulled out all the stops by starting Diego Rossi and pushing their style of play early in the first half. Red Bulls weathered the storm but were unable to put forward any major offense of their own. The Crew nearly opened the scoring in the 40th minute when a shot from Rossi rang off the post and a rebound effort was saved by New York keeper Carlos Coronel. The momentum shifted into the away team’s favor.
The Crew continued to push the game in the second half and scored early to put New York on the back foot. Max Arfsten, a substitute for Columbus, was on the end of a usual intricate passing sequence that went from Dylan Chambost to Cucho Hernandez. Arfsten finished the interplay and gave Wilfred Nancy’s men a lifeline.
That lasted just 10 minute as beleaguered designated player Dante Vanzeir awoke, scoring his first goal of the playoffs and equalizing the contest. Both teams continued to push with Red Bulls seeing more chances due to the Crew’s desperate need for a game-winner to avoid a penalty shootout. Their aggressiveness was their undoing just before the 80th minute as Forsberg dribbled into the box and was pulled down for what many thought would be the deciding chance. Forsberg buried the effort but the story was yet to be complete.
Halfway through stoppage time, the Crew found another goal off the bench as Christian Ramirez equalized, sending the contest to a penalty shootout. It was there that Red Bulls keeper Coronel made his mark with three consecutive saves, giving his team a chance which Felipe Carballo converted for a dramatic finish.
The win can only be described as a major upset that sends one of the league’s darling teams out of the playoffs much sooner than expected. Now the Red Bulls await the winner of the third and deciding game between NYCFC and FC Cincinnati. A game which could see the first Hudson River Derby match-up in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
STARTING XI:
New York Red Bulls: Coronel; D. Nealis, Reyes, S. Nealis, Harper (83′ Eile), Edelman, Carballo (66′ Donkor), Tolkin, Forsberg, Morgan (88′ Manoel), Vanzeir (83′ Carmona)
Columbus Crew SC: Schulte; Moreira (76′ Russell-Rowe), Camacho (86′ Ramirez), Cheberko, Farsi (86′ Herrera), Zawadzki, Nagbe, Jones (55′ Arfsten), Chambost (76′ Matan), Rossi, Hernandez
SCORING SUMMARY:
55′ (Columbus Crew) Max Arfsten (1) assisted by Cucho Hernandez & Dylan Chambost
65′ (New York Red Bulls) Dante Vanzeir (1) assisted by Emil Forsberg & Lewis Morgan
80′ (New York Red Bulls) Emil Forsberg (1) PK
90′ (Columbus Crew) Christian Ramirez (1) assisted by Alexandru Matan
DISCIPLINE:
49′ (New York Red Bulls) Felipe Carballo – YELLOW CARD
90′ (Columbus Crew) Cucho Hernandez – YELLOW CARD
90′ (New York Red Bulls) Sean Nealis – YELLOW CARD
photo by Matt Kremkau