Crew rally late to earn draw with Nashville SC

Updated: Mar 31, 2024, 09:03 am

Substitute Marino Hinestroza scored his first MLS goal in the 79th minute as the Columbus Crew rallied for a 2-2 draw with host Nashville SC on Saturday night.

Sean Zawadzki also scored for the Crew (3-1-2, 11 points), the defending MLS Cup champions, before being replaced by Hinestroza at the half.

Hany Mukhtar and Anibal Godoy scored in first-half stoppage time for Nashville (1-1-4, 7 points).

The tying goal came after Yaw Yeboah dribbled the ball to the end line on the left wing and sent a cross to Hinestroza just inside the top right of the 6-yard box for a header over leaping goalie Elliot Panicco. It was Yeboah's fifth assist of the season.

Columbus was awarded a penalty kick in the opening minute of the second half following a video review as Diego Rossi was tripped by Jack Maher just inside the top of the 18-yard box. Rossi missed the penalty, however, as it hit low off the right post and rolled back across the width of the goalmouth before being cleared by Nashville's defense.

Panicco, starting after Joe Willis received a red card last weekend in a 5-0 loss at Los Angeles FC, the worst defeat in franchise history, made two saves.

Mukhtar, the league's 2022 most valuable player, netted his first of the season three minutes into first-half stoppage time. Jacob Shaffelburg tracked the ball down on the left wing before it reached the end line and sent a cross to the far post that was just out of the reach of Columbus goalkeeper Patrick Schulte, who had three saves. The ball fell at Mukhtar's right foot and he volleyed the ball into the open net from 8 yards out.

Godoy gave Nashville the lead in the ninth minute of stoppage time with a highlight-reel goal. Shaffelburg's cross from the left wing to the near post found Godoy, who put a bicycle kick from 10 yards out into the far side netting.

Columbus opened the scoring in the 17th minute. Rossi's corner kick from the right wing reached Zawadzki about 12 yards out from the far post and his header back across the goal mouth took one bounce on its way into the net.

Columbus played without leading scorer Cucho Hernandez, who was left at home for the match for undisclosed reasons.

--Field Level Media