Late score earns Atlanta United draw with Crew

Miles Robinson scored on a header from a free kick in the seventh minute of 90-plus extra time when host Atlanta United stunned the Columbus Crew with a 1-1 draw on Saturday.

Kevin Molino committed a foul for the Crew (15-9-9, 54 points) on midfielder Edwin Mosquera. Thiago Almada then sent the ball from the right side, just outside the box, to Robinson in front of the goal for the equalizer to salvage a point for Atlanta (13-9-11, 50 points).

Cucho Hernandez put Columbus ahead in the 65th minute and the Crew was within seconds of a fourth straight win in Atlanta since 2019 before their defense let down.

Hernandez, who was denied three times by Brad Guzan, including twice in the first 10 minutes of the second half, finally scored his 15th goal. Aidan Morris dribbled through two players on the left side, then slipped a pass to the box where Hernandez opened his right foot to receive the ball before a clinical finish.

The Crew dominated the chances coming out of halftime with Morris also testing Guzan in the 58th minute with a line drive.

Eight minutes earlier, Almada's shot for Atlanta from outside the penalty area resulted in the first save of the match for Patrick Schulte.

The Crew and Atlanta ranked first and second, respectively, in goals in MLS, but neither could find the net in the first half. Columbus had 11 shots but the only one Guzan needed to save was a shot from the right side of the box in the sixth minute by Hernandez.

Atlanta couldn't produce a goal from its three attempts.

Diego Rossi, who scored for the Crew in a 2-1 win at New England on Wednesday, was active but inaccurate. He had misfires on shots from distance in the ninth minute and headers in the 15th and 23rd as well. Teammate Sean Zawadzki got into the act with a long strike that whizzed past the right post in the 38th minute.

Atlanta's best chance before the break was Brooks Lennon failing to put a cross from Thiago Almada on frame in the sixth minute.