Columbus Crew Defeats FC Dallas to Claim Eastern Conference Playoff Spot
The Columbus Crew secured a crucial 2-0 victory over FC Dallas on Wednesday night, using a goal and an assist from Santiago Rodríguez to vault into the ninth and final postseason position in the Eastern Conference with only two matches remaining in the regular season. Associated Press reported that the win marks the fourth victory for Columbus, lifting their record to 12-15-5 on the campaign.
Rodríguez and Tapia Drive Columbus Offense
Columbus capitalized on early pressure when Gonzalo Tapia netted his third goal in as many matches during the 18th minute. Tapia converted off assists from Anass Zaroury and Santiago Rodríguez, marking Zaroury’s first assist in six league appearances and Rodríguez’s seventh of the year. Rodríguez then sealed the match in the 70th minute by scoring his third goal of the season in his 10th appearance, according to Associated Press.
Schulte Stops Seven Shots for Clean Sheet
Patrick Schulte anchored the Columbus defense by turning away seven shots to earn his seventh clean sheet across 32 starts this season. The defensive stand allowed the Crew to improve their road record to 4-9-3. On the opposing side, Daniel De Sousa Britto recorded one save as Dallas dropped to 8-3-5 at home. The defeat stands as only the second loss for Dallas in their last 11 outings, though the Western Conference side had previously clinched a playoff berth with a 15-8-9 record.
Upcoming Matchups for Crew and Dallas
FC Dallas travels to face Sporting Kansas City on Saturday to close out its regular-season schedule.