Mls Playoffs: Fc Cincinnati Gets Late Goal For Game 1 Win Over Columbus Crew

Kévin Denkey’s extremity successful nan 78th infinitesimal was capable for hosts FC Cincinnati to declare a 1-0 triumph complete nan Columbus Crew successful nan opener of their Eastern Conference opening-round bid connected Monday.

Match 2 is Sunday successful Columbus. A deciding match, if needed, will beryllium connected 8 November successful Cincinnati.

No 2 seed Cincinnati was knocking connected nan doorway earlier nan breakthrough against nan seventh-seeded Crew.

Ender Echenique had a free tally down nan near transmission and sent a shot to a marked Evander astatine nan acold post. He was capable to get nan shot successful beforehand wherever Denkey, who had 15 goals successful nan regular season, did not miss.

FC Cincinnati were comfortable pinch nan lead, pinch 17 of its 21 MLS wins this play coming by 1 goal.

Cincinnati was nan amended broadside successful nan first half and was astir rewarded pinch nan lead successful nan first infinitesimal of stoppage clip but Patrick Schulte’s 4th prevention was nan difference.

After Denkey’s effort from nan apical of nan container was blocked, he gathered nan shot and slipped it to his correct to Brenner, who ripped a changeable that Schulte sewage his correct limb connected to nonstop it complete nan crossbar for a corner.

Schulte, who is successful nan moving to beryllium nan 3rd goalkeeper for nan US astatine nan 2026 World Cup, had an inconsistent regular play but he was crisp early.

In nan 14th infinitesimal he made a double save, denying Evander’s changeable from nan correct broadside of nan box. The rebound went straight for a straight-on changeable by Samuel Gidi that Schulte didn’t person to move to stop.

The Crew had 1 changeable connected target successful nan first half, coming earlier nan half-hour people erstwhile Max Arfsten sewage down nan defense and tried to hit Roman Celentano, but nan changeable was easy stopped.

Celentano made 3 saves while Schulte had four.

Crew starring scorer Diego Rossi (16 goals) was questionable because of a hamstring injury, but he started and played 75 minutes.