In front of yet another capacity crowd at Lower.com Field, the Columbus Crew knocked out Atlanta United 4-2 on Sunday night in the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs.
It was an entertaining three-game series between the two highest-scoring teams in the MLS that brought 14 goals.
The Crew won its first-ever playoff game at Lower.com Field in the first game, as the Black and Gold dominated Atlanta and won 2-0, according to NBC4.
In Atlanta, the Crew fell short 4-2, letting up two goals in the last 10 minutes of play, according to ESPN.
On Sunday night, a sold-out Lower.com Field witnessed the Crew take the lead in the eighth minute as captain Darlington Nagbe’s shot beat Atlanta goalkeeper, Brad Guzan, handing the Crew a 1-0 lead.
The perfect start continued as just eight minutes later Malte Amundsen smashed the ball into the net from outside the box, which doubled the Crew’s lead, according to NBC4.
After Atlanta’s first shot on target was saved by Columbus goalkeeper Patirck Schulte, the stadium erupted again as Crew midfielder Alex Matan sent another ball into the back of Brad Guzan’s net in the 33rd minute, according to NBC4.
However, just two minutes later Atlanta got one back off a Georgios Giaukoumakis tap-in. The Crew went into the break up 3-1.
Then, just two minutes into the second half, Alex Matan played a through ball to Diego Rossi who touched it past the Atlanta keeper once again, which extended the Crew’s lead to 4-1, according to NBC4.
However, just like the last goal, Atlanta went right back down the field and scored off a Xande Silva finish, which cut the lead to 4-2 with just over 40 minutes remaining.
After this goal, both teams continued to create chances, such as Crew star Cucho Hernandez forcing two saves from Brad Guzan, but the game ended 4-2 with a Crew victory.
According to NBC4, the win extends Columbus’ home playoff winning streak to six games, which goes back to the 2020 MLS Cup, of which the Crew reigned victorious.
The Crew advance into the Eastern Conference Semifinals to take on Orlando City SC on Saturday, Nov. 25 at 5:30 p.m. in Orlando.
