A lackluster midweek performance by the Columbus Crew had to be put in the rearview mirror as the Black & Gold returned home to host the Houston Dynamo for their third league match. In the highly contested bout between both, neither had the clinical edge in the final third to put the ball into the back of the net, ending in a 0-0 stalemate.

It was Columbus who started to get things rolling in Downtown Columbus, when Diego Rossi challenged Dynamo goalkeeper Andrew Tarbell in the 10th minute on a free kick. Though Columbus earned the early opportunity, the rest of the match for the Black & Gold was spoiled by the impeccable performance of Tarbell.

Columbus, who ended the match with a 0.9 xG percentage, could not break down the low block set forward by Ben Olsen and the Dynamo.

“When you play a team that puts 11 behind the ball in their own half, it’s pretty hard to create chances,” said defender Mohamed Farsi.

With the low block, Columbus was forced to play the ball through the left and right channels, ending the first half playing the ball 43% of the time on each side.

“They made it really difficult for us, as you can see,” said midfielder Sean Zawadzki.

“As a team, they sat in, made us break them down. It’s really difficult. They sat in, blocked the middle, made it really hard to go through the middle, so I go out wide, whip in some crosses and find ways that way. And then also being ready for them to counter attack.”

Things weren’t all bad, however, for the Crew as head coach Wilfried Nancy noticed growth in the team from their midweek matchup in LA.

“Yes, yes. Again, it could happen,” said Nancy.

“LAFC, yes, we lost this game in this way so we have nothing to say because they did it well, they did what they wanted to do. I really like what we did also today because again, we came back from LA, we faced a good team and we were able to have a good performance. Yes, we haven’t scored. We didn’t take a goal, but we haven’t scored.

Yes, it could have been better. Yes, but to be honest, not easy to play against a team that would defend like that.”

A point is better than none, but if chances were converted, the story would be different with a whole new attitude.

Clean Sheet Schulte

With the 0-0 draw Saturday, goalkeeper Patrick Schulte earned his second clean sheet of the 2025 MLS season, making it his 19th career. Across all competitions, Schulte holds 22 career shutouts (two postseason, one CONCACAF Champions Cup.)

A draw brings good news

Saturday’s draw keeps the Crew are unbeaten in their first two home matches in each season since Lower.com Field’s first full year in 2022. Columbus has not allowed a goal in 248 MLS Minutes. The last goal the Crew conceded came in the 22nd minute of the season opener against the Chicago Fire.

What’s next?

The Columbus Crew are back home Tuesday night for the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup against LAFC. Kickoff is slated for 8:30 p.m. EDT.