Barbara J. Perenic/The Columbus Dispatch via Imagn Content Services, LLC
The Columbus Crew opened Lower.com Field on Saturday evening, hoping to introduce the team’s new home to Major League Soccer with a victory. The Crew wasn’t able to do that, but did battle back from a 2-0 first half deficit to 2-2 draw with Eastern Conference-leading New England Revolution.
Backed by the deafening crowd, the Columbus nearly struck twice in the first two minutes. Winger Luis Diaz, at pace, turned fullback Dejuan Jones, cut inside and unleashed a left-footed shot that blazed past the right post within 30 seconds of kickoff.
New England Revolution forward Gustavo Bou (7) celebrates with teammates after scoring a goal in the first half of an MLS soccer match against the Columbus Crew in Columbus, Ohio on Saturday, July 3, 2021. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) Gyasi Zardes scored and the Columbus Crew rallied to tie the New England Revolution 2-2 on Saturday night in the first game at new Lower.com Field.
Zardes, near the top of the penalty area, took a pass from Harrison Afful, turned inside and then slipped a roller between two defenders and inside the post to cut the Crew s deficit to 2-1 in the 39th minute. It snapped Columbus scoreless streak of nearly 270 minutes following back-to-back shutouts a 1-0 loss the Philadelphia Union on June 23 and a tie with Austin FC on June 27.
Recap: Revolution 2 - Crew 2
Revs drop 2-goal lead in 2-2 draw with reigning champs
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Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images
The New England Revolution returned to action Saturday evening as they paid their first visit to Lower.com Field as they took on the reigning MLS Cup champions, the Columbus Crew.
New England came into Saturday’s match looking to get back on track after having a five-game win streak broken by a 2-1 loss to F.C. Dallas in their previous outing.
Columbus Crew opened the doors to their 314 million dollar stadium as the Crew hosted their first game since leaving the historic Crew Stadium. The Crew came into Saturday’s match looking to overcome a two-game skid which saw a loss to Philadelphia and a scoreless draw against Austin FC in their previous outing.
Henry Kessler returns to the starting XI against Columbus Crew
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Henry Kessler must have been happy to get the start on Saturday.
With Jon Bell getting a run of starts recently, Kessler was relegated to more of a bench role. He has been in and out of the starting XI after an impressive rookie season that saw him start a majority of the games.
Kessler was asked about sharing the position in the starting XI with Bell after the 2-2 draw.
He said, “You know, we want to be a deep team. So we want to have guys that, you know, if Andrew gets hurt, someone can step up and play for him. If other guys get hurt, someone can step up and play for them. So we want to be not just an 11-man team but 18, 20- man team. Part of that’s just been rotational. For the last five or six games we’ve rotated three players so I think that’s part of it. Conversations with Bruce have just been honest.”
Le jeune Américain de 18 ans Kevin Paredes a lancé le bal avec à peine plus d’une minute jouée au duel en marquant pour la première fois de sa carrière dans la MLS.
La troupe de Hernan Losada a vu six joueurs différents trouver le fond de la cage de la formation torontoise. Trois de ces buts sont survenus dans les 10 dernières minutes de la rencontre, après que le défenseur Eriq Zavaleta eut été éjecté de la partie en raison de son deuxième carton jaune de la confrontation. Ola Kamara, Yamil Asad et Grinffin Yow ont profité de l’avantage pour accentuer l’écart, déjà insurmontable.