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Lucas Zelarayan scored and had two assists when the Columbus Crew kept their playoff hopes alive with a 3-2 victory against visiting Orlando City SC on Wednesday. The Crew (11-13-8, 41 points) are three points behind D.C. United for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with two matches left. The Crews plays at D.C. on Saturday. Orlando (12-9-11, 47 points) could have clinched a playoff berth in the East with a win and other favorable results but instead had a five-game unbeaten streak (2-0-3) end. The Lions are tied for fourth in the East with New York City FC. Miguel Berry in the 20th minute and Derrick Etienne in the 31st staked the Crew to the 2-0 halftime lead. After Daryl Dike scored on a retaken penalty kick in 52nd minute for Orlando, Zelarayan crushed a 25-yard strike to the upper left corner for a 3-1 lead in the 61st minute on his ninth goal. Orlando pulled to within 3-2 in the second of nine stoppage-time minutes when Robin Jansson left-footed a cross from Tesho Akindele. Berry continued a torrid pace in his rookie season, scoring his seventh goal and 16 matches. With Crew co-leading scorer Gyasi Zardes (nine goals) injured, Berry made the most of his seventh start. He entered the match fourth in MLS with an average of 0.94 goals per 90 minutes. Etienne doubled the lead with his first goal of the season. Zelarayan sent a left corner kick to the far post. Orlando goalkeeper Pedro Gallese (two saves) misjudged the flight and the ball came to Etienne for the shot with his right foot. The Lions got the lifeline they needed in the 50th minute when video review ruled for a handball on Crew defender Jonathan Mensah. Dike was denied from the spot by Eloy Room (one save) but after a review, the keeper was cited for encroachment and Dike converted to make it 2-1. He has eight goals.
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ORL
