Keepers dominate as Columbus Crew, FC Cincinnati play to draw

The Columbus Crew and host FC Cincinnati played to a 0-0 tie on Saturday.

Crew goalkeeper Eloy Room made three saves for his fourth shutout in five matches.

Przemyslaw Tyton had three saves in his fourth shutout in six games for Cincinnati in a match played without spectators at Nippert Stadium.

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Columbus leads the series between the Ohio rivals, 2-0-2 in league play.

The Crew won the first matchup this season 4-0 on July 11 in the MLS is Back Tournament near Orlando, but Cincinnati was sharper defensively in subsequent matches until old habits returned when a 302-minute shutout streak was ended in a 3-0 loss at the Chicago Fire on Tuesday.

Columbus also had a shutout run (430 minutes) end Monday in a 1-0 defeat at New York City FC.

Going into the Cincinnati game, the Crew were 5-0-0 in their previous five matches after a loss or tie.

The Crew were at their strongest in the three matches with the return from injuries of Room and midfielders Youness Mokhtar and Lucas Zelarayan.

Room was called upon early and made the biggest play of the first half in the 17th minute when he made the save on a free kick by Siem De Jong that was targeted for the upper left corner.

Sam Greene via Imagn Content Services

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Otherwise, the defenses were stingy with each team getting three shots in the opening 45 minutes while the Crew had two of three on goal.

Zelarayan came close to the first goal but his strike from the top of the box hit the left side netting in the 51st minute.

Two minutes later De Jong's free kick deflected off Crew defender Harrison Afful to force a reactionary left-handed save from Room.

It was Room again in the 71st with a diving stop of a shot from 25 yards by Yuya Kubo.

The teams next play Wednesday when Cincinnati hosts Chicago and the Crew are home to Philadelphia.