Columbus Crew 2 traveled to Bridgeview, Illinois to take on the Chicago Fire II on Sunday evening. The match was delayed by two and a half hours due to severe storms but once the game kicked off, it was Chicago who get the team’s second victory against the black & Gold this season with a 2-0 win.

After the prolonged weather delay, Columbus came out of the tunnel flat. Fire II dominated the ball in the first half with 60 percent possession, 12 shots, four of which were on goal, and seven corners. Crew 2 managed just two shots, one shot on target. Although the Black & Gold were stuck in their own defensive third, goalkeeper Stas Lapkes stood strong with four saves to keep the game scoreless through the first 45 minutes. 

While Columbus was not able to get the attack going, the visitors were able to prevent clear chances and most of the shots on goal for Chicago came from outside the penalty box, making for easy saves for Lapkes. 

There were two major chances in the first half, the first coming in the 32nd minute. An early cross to Missael Rodríguez looked to be a certain goal when Lapkes came out of the 18-yard box to clear the ball but cleared the ball into the Fire II who was then forced out wide. With the goal mouth gaping, Rodríguez could not get the shot off until Lapkes got back imposition to make a save. 

In the 39th minute, Crew 2 under pressure again when a shot from outside the penalty box was blocked and then recycled to Chicago’s Billy Hency. The winger took a shot from outside the 18-yard box that Lapkes could not fully handle. The ball bounced off the hands of Lapkes’ and an onrushing Fire II player tried to latch onto the rebound, but the goalkeeper jumped first on the rebound. 

The second half followed in the same vein as the Black & Gold found little traction in the attack. Chicago backed up the home side’s statistical superiority with a goal in the 53rd minute when Columbus tried to play out of the pressure from the team’s own penalty box, but could not get the ball past the first attacker. A headed ball to an open Charlie Ostrem saw the Fire II midfielder power a shot into the far upper 90 from the corner of the 18-yard box. 

Ostrem doubled the lead when he latched onto a ball at the top of the penalty box and rifled another attempt past Lapkes in the 56th minute. Chicago began to back off the pressure after going up two goals, allowing Crew 2 to get more attacking possession.

The best attacking moment for the Black & Gold came in the 79th minute when midfielder Taha Habroune came out of a scrum with the ball and quickly found striker Mateo Bunbury who put it past the Fire II goalkeeper. The goal was ultimately called back as Bunbury was offside.

Positives

While the defense gave up two goals, both finishes were two top class, low-probability shots from Ostrem. The defense limited good chances while Lapkes made six saves. The Belarusian made mostly good decisions coming out of the penalty box and making many interceptions and clearances. Only once did Lapkes’ decision to leave his line seem shaky, but he atoned for the mistake with a save. While Columbus did limit the chances, it is hard to say much else positive when the team gave up 21 shots, eight on target, and nine corners.

What’s next

Crew 2 will hope to rebound later this week when traveling to face Toronto FC II on Friday, July 7. That match is scheduled to kick off at 8 p.m. ET.