On the back of their 1-0 win against Atlanta United last weekend, the Columbus Crew faced their first road test of the season, heading to the Twin Cities to face Minnesota United. 

The first 20 minutes of the match saw the Loons all over Columbus, dictating play. A high-pressing United pinned the Crew in its defensive half for most of the first 45 minutes, showing the hosts were up to the task and looking to take all three points.

Minnesota’s first real chance came in the 8th minute when Teemu Pukki found himself alone with Crew keeper Patrick Schulte inside the 18-yard box. The shot was blocked by Schulte, keeping the Loons at bay. 

In the 20th minute, Alejandro Bran had a chance to put the home side ahead, but the offside flag denied a goal-scoring opportunity. The Crew fired its first warning shot of the game in the 33rd minute when Steven Moreira served a ball into the box to find Cucho Hernandez’s head, but Dayne St. Clair saved the attempt to keep the score level 0-0. 

In the latter stages of the first half, a clear-cut chance to break the deadlock came for Minnesota when Sang Bin Jeong went one-on-one with Rudy Camacho, with Pukki in behind the Crew defender. The chance failed, with Camacho blocking the attempted pass to Pukki, keeping the score knotted 0-0, and both teams heading into their locker rooms at halftime. 

Columbus immediately started the second half strong with an attack towards goal. 

Christian Ramirez dropped into the midfield to collect a pass, finding Diego Rossi streaking ahead. Rossi, in turn, found Yaw Yeboah all alone to his left, giving the Ghanaian international plenty of room to take on the Loons netminder St. Clair, who took down Yeboah inside the penalty box, but the official called no penalty. 

The Crew found the back of the net in the 50th minute when Ramirez served a ball into the box for Hernandez. The header by the Colombian international was saved yet again by St. Clair and a second attempt from Max Arfsten was flagged for offside. 

Columbus broke the deadlock in the 59th minute when Arfsten ran onto a through ball to spring forward a Columbus attack. Arfsten switched the play to the opposite side to find Yeboah, who laid it down for Hernandez just outside the 18-yard box. Hernandez took one touch and fired his shot past St. Clair, giving Columbus a 1-0 lead. 

Patrick Schulte got called into action in the 79th minute when Loic Mesanvi hit a deflected header on goal, forcing the Crew keeper to make a point-blank save, giving the Loons a corner kick. 

Minnesota had a good look on goal to start second-half stoppage time, but the opportunity was squandered with a shot that sailed high over the crossbar. 

The Loons went on to snag the equalizer late in stoppage time, with Tanitoluwa Oluwaseyi hammering his shot into the far post corner, leveling the score 1-1.

Superman returns

Christian Ramirez appeared, entering the match for Alex Matan at halftime. This is the first time Ramirez has been in the Twin Cities since 2018. 

Cucho Hernandez is HIM

With his goal against Minnesota, Cucho Hernandez now has a goal contribution in 10 consecutive matches. Hernandez continues to lead the team in goals with two tallies this season.

What’s Next? 

Columbus is back in action Wednesday against the Houston Dynamo in the Round of 16 of the Concacaf Champions Cup. Kickoff is set for 8 pm from Shell Energy Stadium.