Columbus Crew 2 returned to the team’s home ground of Historic Crew Stadium to host Crown Legacy FC, Charlotte FC’s MLS NEXT Pro side, on Sunday afternoon. The home side was victorious thanks to a 2-1 win. In the first ever meeting between the two sides earlier in the season, Crown Legacy took the honors by way of forward Patrick Agyemang’s goal.

The Black & Gold looked to bounce back after a 4-2 loss to Chicago Fire II at Lower.com Field last week and break a three-match losing skid. Winger Luis Diaz, wing back Jake Morris and defender Keegan Hughes, all first-team members, made appearances for the second team. 

Columbus began the game with a big chance when Morris got loose on the flank in the fourth minute. Morris’ cross came in but forward Coleman Gannon was unable to get on the end of the ball. Again in the fourth minute, Crew 2 had a chance when forward Noah Fuson got on the end of a long ball but his shot was blocked. 

After the initial flurry, Crown Legacy settled into the game and began to look dangerous. In the fifth minute, a big switch led to a cross into an unmarked attacker but the shot went wide. Crown Legacy continued to put on the pressure and opened the scoring in the 10th minute. Goalkeeper Stanislav Lapkes came off his line, winning the ball but not clearing it with much conviction. The header did not go far, landing at the feet of the dangerous attacker, Agyemang who took one look and played the ball over Lapkes who was outside of his penalty box and in the net.

It was an unfortunate goal for Crew 2 to give up. After the match, head coach Laurent Courtois mentioned that he would need to look at the film, but generally, if the goalkeeper cannot find a player to connect with, he should play it high. Courtois was not overly concerned about the mistake from the young goalkeeper, convinced he will learn from this moment. 

Fuson evened the score in the 17th minute. Midfielder Thomas Roberts won the ball in the midfield, eventually moving the ball out wide to Morris who put in a cross that a Crown Legacy defender handled awkwardly, deflecting the ball toward his own goal. The Crown Legacy goalkeeper parried the ball away, but right to Fuson’s feet, who then tapped the ball in the far post for an easy goal. 

The rest of the first half finished out with a couple good chances by each team, but neither was able to take advantage as the half ended 1-1.

In the 50th minute, Gannon pulled Columbus ahead. Defender Jacob Erlandson won a strong tackle that gave midfielder Cole Mrowka the ball. The Crew Academy player made an impressive line-breaking pass to a streaking Fuson and the forward got in behind the defense but didn’t have the best angle to shoot. Instead of hurrying his shot, Fuson took a few dribbles sideways in the 18-yard box, drew the defenders to him and then laid the ball off to an onrushing Gannon who put the shot by the goalkeeper and gave Crew 2 the lead. 

The home fans were nervous in the 69th minute when Lapkes came off his line to try and clear a pass to Agyemang. Instead of over-committing, Lapkes positioned himself well and forced Agyemang to play the ball wide, unable to get a clear shot on goal. 

Crew 2 looked likely to get a third goal in the 71st minute when substitute wing back Jordan Knight got onto a loose ball in the midfield. Knight then drove the ball at the defense, committing the center backs to close him down and then laid the ball off to forward Marco Micaletto. Micaletto’s shot was parried away and Knight put in a shot just wide of goal. 

In the 80th minute, Lapkes came up with a big one-handed save at the near post to preserve the lead. The chances soon dwindled as Crown Legacy made a quintuple substitution in the 83rd minute, taking off their dangerous attack man Agyemang. 

Injuries

Columbus did have to finish the match down a man. After making all the team’s substitutions defender Xavier Zegue went down with a knee injury. Zengue came off the pitch in the 87th minute and was unable to re-enter to finish off the match. Head Coach Laurent Courtois said the knee looked stable, but the medical staff needed to examine the injury further in the next couple of days.

In positive news on injuries, Diaz played another 45 minutes as he works to get back to match fitness and sharpness. In the last match against Fire II, Diaz was caught out a couple of times defensively but against Crown Legacy, he improved. Knight gave the Black & Gold much more action and joy down the right flank than Diaz, but Diaz is coming off a long injury and switching positions. This was a positive match and a step in the right direction for him. Expect to see Diaz in a few more Crew 2 matches as he looks to earn minutes in the first team.