Columbus Crew 2 came into Osceola Heritage Park and lost 4-1 to Orlando City B, a first-ever win by the Lions against Crew 2. Even with the loss, the Black & Gold managed to clinch a spot in the MLS NEXT Pro playoffs.

It was a dismal first half for Columbus with just 49 percent possession. Crew 2 completed 83 percent of the team’s passes and had three shots, none on goal.

The Black & Gold’s best chance came in the 20th minute. Captain and midfielder Marco Micaletto found freedom to run towards goal from the right flank but was fouled outside the penalty box by Orlando midfielder Christian Medina, who was given a yellow. The free kick was taken by Micaletto who found unmarked midfielder Isaiah Parente at the top of the 18-yard box. Parente’s shot was blocked, but the power and direction seemed likely to score if not for the defender throwing his body in front of the shot. 

Orlando suffocated Columbus with a high press and in the 24th minute, it nearly paid off. After OCSCB was called for offside, goalkeeper Stas Lapkes tried to take the free kick and was complaining to the referee that the Orlando players were crowding the space. Lapkes then played an ill-advised short pass that was immediately stolen by the Lions and passed to midfielder Juninho who then put a shot in on an open goal. The shot did not have much power behind it and defender Crew 2 Philip Quinton easily cleared the ball out. 

The breakthrough came for the home side in the 39th minute when Orlando created a turnover in the midfield and then found midfielder Alexander Freeman down the right flank. The Black & Gold defense scrambled and Freeman was able to pick out onrushing forward Wilfredo Rivera in the middle of the penalty box. Lapkes got a piece of Rivera’s shot but it was not enough and the goalkeeper was left to pick the ball out of the back of the net. 

The second half compounded Columbus’ sorrow as defender Clay Holstad received a second yellow in the 53rd minute. Orlando City forward Shakur Mohammed was able to get around Holstad but the defender pulled him down and received another caution and a sending off.

Moments later, Mohammed scored when Crew 2 midfielder Taha Habroune turned the ball over against Orlando’s high press. Rivera got on the ball and easily bypassed Lapkes, who was well off his line, but his shot was cleared off the line by Quinton. The clearance only went as far as Mohammed who put the ball out of reach for the center back and Orlando went up 2-0.

“Conceding the first goal the way we concede and giving up the red card are something we are really disappointed with,” head coach Laurent Courtois said postgame. Once the red card was given, the floodgates opened and the Capybaras had little chance to secure a result.

In the 65th minute, the Lions kept up the pressure by forcing another turnover in the Columbus defensive third. Mohammed received the ball and quickly found Jhon Solis who was unmarked at the top of the 18-yard box. Solis did not wait for the defense to arrive and quickly powered a shot into the far post. 

Crew 2 was hopeful to pull a goal back when forward forward Gibran Rayo went down in the 18-yard box in the 70th minute. On replay, it seemed clear that Rayo tripped over the ball, but the referee blew the whistle and awarded a penalty kick. Defender Abdi Mohamed stepped up to take the penalty, but it was saved. 

The Black & Gold finally got on the score sheet in the 80th minute. Midfielder Cole Mrowka got on the ball outside of the penalty box and the Lions did not challenge him. Mrowka punished that mistake by curling the ball into the goal. Forward Noah Fuson was unable to get to the ball first, but Rayo made a back post run and powered home a diving header. 

Orlando City B added on a late insurance goal when Fuson put in a poor tackle on a corner kick to give up a penalty. Forward Jack Lynn stepped up to slot home his 15th goal of the season. 

Looking Ahead

Now 24 matches into the season and Crew 2 sits in fourth place in the Eastern Conference on 45 points. Columbus can take a small amount of joy in the fact that the team clinched a playoff berth even in defeat. Courtois mentioned that clinching the playoffs in these circumstances “was a bitter taste.”

The remaining games on the schedule are all against teams that are below the playoff line: New York Citt FC II, Atlanta United 2, FC Cincinnati 2 and Inter Miami II. With a game on hand, there is a real chance that the Black & Gold could challenge for the second seed in the playoffs. 

It will be critical for Columbus to finish as high up in the standings as possible. This season, the top seed gets a first-round bye and second, third and fourth get to choose the opponent they wish to face of the teams in fifth, sixth and seventh place teams.