Prior to Saturday night’s fixture, the Black & Gold had already booked their ticket to the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs. But with Orlando City and Chicago Fire placed above them in the Eastern Conference standings, they looked all but set to finish in 8th or 9th place and enter the Wild Card fixture — that is, unless they were to pull off a win and Orlando and Chicago were to drop points.

In miraculous fashion, and with the odds stacked against them, Wilfried Nancy’s side displayed once again that ‘impossible is an opinion,’ coming from behind to defeat a New York Red Bulls side that narrowly missed a playoff berth this season. The comeback win was no small feat, especially considering that the Black & Gold were missing key players in Diego Rossi, Wessam Abou Ali, and Mohamed Farsi, and had only recorded one win in their previous eight fixtures.

Andres Herrera provided a swift response to Eric Choupo-Moting’s opener in the first half and substitutes Daniel Gazdag (1 goal), Ibrahim Aliyu (1 goal), and Taha Habroune (1 assist) made all the difference in the second half, positioning the Black & Gold to leapfrog over their opponents in the match and their rivals in the Eastern Conference standings (albeit with a bit of luck that Orlando and Chicago both dropped points).

The visitors took an early lead in the 12th minute through a combination play between Eric Choupo-Moting and Emil Forsberg. On the receiving end of a well-timed chipped through ball from Forsberg, Choupo-Moting managed to remain onside while smashing the ball with his right foot on the half-volley from the right edge of the 18-yard box. Despite diving the right way, the ball dashed past Patrick Schulte’s reach into the bottom left corner of the net. 

The Black & Gold wasted no time playing catch-up as in the 16th minute, Herrera scored the equalizer. From the left flank, Lassi Lappalainen sent in a low, driven ball across the 18-yard box. Herrera, unmarked, fired the ball into the back of the net first-time with his right boot to bring the Black & Gold level.

Nancy’s tactical decisions changed the game in the second half. Gazdag was introduced at the break, Habroune in the 61st minute, and Aliyu in the 82nd. All three would go on to record a goal contribution.

In the 66th minute, Max Arfsten nestled a chipped pass into Habroune’s path in the six-yard box. Shifting his body to shield off oncoming defenders, Habround laid the ball off horizontally with the outside of his right foot to Gazdag, who, with a defender on his back, slotted it first-time past John McCarthy to give the Black & Gold the lead.

Two minutes after his introduction, in the 84th minute, Aliyu intercepted a poor backpass from McCarthy and pounced on the gifted opportunity. One-on-one with the keeper, he slotted the ball into the back of the net with his right foot, leaving McCarthy no chance from close range.

Amidst the thrilling match, fans and the Crew organization alike came together to celebrate the incredible career of Black & Gold midfielder, captain, and MLS veteran Darlington Nagbe, who on October 7th announced his decision to retire at the end of this season. Nagbe, arguably one of the greatest midfielders to ever grace the fields of Major League Soccer, lifted four MLS championships across his storied 15-year professional career: In 2020 and 2023 with the Columbus Crew, in 2018 with Atlanta United, and in 2015 with Portland Timbers. Fittingly, Nagbe was awarded ‘Man of the Match’ honors and was celebrated with several tifos from the Nordecke before the match and at halftime, as well as with a tribute at the match’s conclusion.

With the astounding win lifting the Crew from a possible 8th or 9th-placed Eastern Conference position into 7th, the Black & Gold with now face off against fierce Ohio rival FC Cincinnati, who finished 2nd in the Eastern Conference, in Round One of the MLS Playoffs. The last time a ‘Hell is Real’ series took place in the MLS Playoffs, in 2023, the Black & Gold went on to win MLS Cup.

The dates of the fixtures are to be determined, but the second match of the series will take place at Lower.com Field.