Columbus Crew 2 traveled across the border to York Lions Stadium in Ontario, Canada for a Friday night showdown with Toronto FC II. After taking a 1-0 lead, Toronto scored two goals in two minutes, taking a 2-1 lead into the halftime break. Two quick second-half goals from Crew 2 gave the Black & Gold a 3-2 road win.

Crew 2 started the game on the front foot, creating the first several chances on goal. Defender Keegan Hughes, on loan from the first team, had a shot that sailed over the bar in the seventh minute. Eleven minutes later, the Black & Gold got another opportunity, but defender Jordan Knight put his shot wide of the net.

Columbus remained on the front foot, continuing to maintain possession and put pressure on the TFC II backline. 

Midway through the first half, Crew 2 had back-to-back great scoring chances, but both shots were saved. On the first, Knight had his initial shot saved but forward Gibran Rayo found the ball at his feet. Rayo’s shot was also denied, keeping the score level at 0-0.

The deadlock was broken in the 34th minute through a Toronto own goal. Reds defender Rohan Goulbourne deflected a shot into his own net to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. 

After going again, fortunes began to shift in favor of the hosts.

A mere five minutes after the opening goal, Toronto equalized through midfielder Markus Cimermancic. TFC II’s Jordan Faria was played in behind the Crew 2 backline. The forward then cut the ball back for Cimermancic, who roofed the ball into the goal to level the score at 1-1.

Two minutes later, The Reds took a 2-1 lead. A long throw-in for Toronto caused the Black & Gold all sorts of problems. Then, it was a battle of strength. Toronto forward Reshaun Walkes beat Columbus’ Stuart Ritchie and beat Crew 2 goalkeeper Stanislav Lapkes for the finish.

Toronto FC II would lead 2-1 at the half, scoring on both shots they had in the opening 45 minutes.

The second half started with the Black & Gold on the front foot.

One minute into the second half, midfielder Cole Mrowka had a good opportunity to score but put his shot wide of the net.

Four minutes later, an unlikely goal scorer in Hughes equalized for Columbus. A set piece straight off the training ground allowed midfielder Giorgio De Libera to drive the ball into the penalty box, pulling it back and finding Hughes who made no mistake for his first goal for Crew 2.

From that point, the Black & Gold were the aggressors.

Two minutes after equalizing, Mrowka had another good chance to put the visitors back in front, but his shot was saved. Then Rayo had another opportunity to give the lead back to the Black & Gold, but his effort was saved as well.

A minute later, Columbus got the lead back for good off a goal from captain Marco Micaletto. A bad pass from the Toronto goalkeeper Luka Gavran saw the ball at Taha Habroune’s feet. The Crew 2 midfielder found Micaletto, who saw an open net with Gavran off his line and put home from about 40 yards out.

It seemed from there that the Black & Gold would just have to see out the game, but that’s not how the match finished.

In the 78th minute, Columbus went down to 10 men after a second yellow card was issued to forward Noah Fuson. From there, TFC began to put the Crew 2 backline under pressure. However, the visitors did not break.

Toronto’s final chance of the game came in the 86th minute when Lucas Olguin had his shot saved by Lapkes.

The Black & Gold saw out the rest of the game and earn a much-needed, bounce-back victory on the road.

Comeback Kids

Last season, Columbus nearly always had the lead in matches on the team’s way to the MLS NEXT Pro Cup. This year, however, it is a different story.

This match was the fifth game this season in which Crew 2 has trailed and come back to win. It is showing that Laurent Courtois’ players continue to play until the final whistle. Columbus has had to change formations and change the team’s approach to the game a couple of times this season and Crew 2 continues to show adaptability and perseverance.

What’s Next

The Black & Gold are off until Monday, July 24 when the team returns to Historic Crew Stadium against the Philadelphia Union 2. The match is scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. ET and can be streamed on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.