A scoreless draw against in-state rivals FC Cincinnati came with a positive, as the Columbus Crew clinched a playoff spot to defend their 2023 MLS Cup before taking their talents North of the border to take on Toronto FC. Head coach Wilfried Nancy heavily rotated the squad, seeing Cucho Hernandez, Christian Ramirez and Darlington Nagbe start Wednesday’s contest on the bench.

It didn’t take long for the first shot on goal to come to light when Federico Bernardeschi was able to dribble around wingback DeJuan Jones inside the 18-yard box. The shot from his favorable left foot ricocheted off of the crossbar and out for a goal kick. It was the opening shot across the bow as TFC looked to upset the reigning MLS Cup Champions.

In a tightly contested battle between both teams, the two sides struggled to find the back of the net as the first half went on leading to long strands of possession without any clear-cut scoring opportunities.

Columbus struggled the most, with turnovers galore being the glaring factor, when the Crew are the team generating chances and holding possession. For Toronto, the press seemed to have been drawing Columbus out of position, allowing Lorenzo Insigne and Bernardeschi to enjoy time and space on the ball.

The Crew took just seven minutes in the second half to break the ice, when Cucho Hernandez picked out the near post after receiving a pass from Jacen Russell-Rowe to beat Toronto FC goalkeeper Sean Johnson.

Andres Herrera doubled the Crew’s lead in the 71st minute after placing his shot comfortably past Johnson just after picking up the loose ball inside of the box.

Toronto FC was granted a golden opportunity in the 86th minute when the Reds were awarded a free kick in a dangerous area just outside of the 18-yard box. Bernardeschi stepped up but the shot was off frame and high over the crossbar.

Hernandez nearly added a third after the Colombian forward picked up a loose ball and dribbled towards goal. His shot was blocked and went out for a corner kick. Looking to keep possession and not concede on the counter, the Black & Gold opted to play it short.

TFC attempted to convert chances in the last few minutes of the match, but couldn’t find the back of the net before the final whistle giving Columbus all three points and temporarily moving the Black & Gold into second place in the Eastern Conference.

Defense stood tall

While pitching a clean sheet, the Columbus Crew defense has continued to stand tall. Prior to the start of the match, the Crew’s backline carried a 1.06 GAA in 27 matches, allowing the fewest goals this season (28) and tied with Inter Miami CF for the best goal differential in the league (+24) through 27 games.

Cucho continues to impress

Heading into the matchup, Hernandez was sat at 52 goals in 85 matches across all competitions. With his goal, he now sits at 53 goals in 86 matches, and 39 goals in 65 regular season matches.

What’s next?

The Columbus Crew are back in action Saturday against Orlando City. Kickoff from Lower.com Field is set for 7:30 p.m. EDT. You can watch the match on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.