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Late Goal Lifts Crew Past Fire in Stoppage Time Thriller
8 Nov
Summary
- Columbus Crew won 4-3 against Chicago Fire on Decision Day.
- The Crew rallied from behind three times to secure victory.
- Brais Méndez scored the winning goal in stoppage time.
The Columbus Crew secured a thrilling 4-3 Decision Day victory against the Chicago Fire, thanks to two goals from Gonzalo Tapia and a stoppage-time winner by Brais Méndez. This crucial win allowed the Crew to avoid a wild-card match and climb into seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings. They are now set to face No. 2 seed Inter Miami in the first round of the playoffs.
The match saw the lead change hands multiple times, with the Crew trailing on three separate occasions. Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring for Chicago with a penalty kick in the 8th minute, but Tapia quickly equalized for Columbus in the 16th. Lewandowski converted another penalty in the 22nd minute, only for Anass Zaroury to tie the game again shortly after. Maren Haile-Selassie then put the Fire ahead just before halftime.
Tapia's second goal in the 62nd minute leveled the score at 3-3, setting the stage for Méndez's dramatic late winner. The Crew enter the postseason on a strong 6-0-1 unbeaten streak, while the Chicago Fire, despite the loss, finished fourth in the East and will host Charlotte FC in the first round.
