The Columbus Crew secured a commanding 2-0 victory over Cincinnati FC on Sunday, moving to within one point of their rivals in the Eastern Conference standings.
Gonzalo Tapia produced a standout performance, contributing a goal and an assist to help the Crew earn their fourth win in the last five games.
Taha Habroune continued his remarkable run of form by finding the net for the third consecutive game, further boosting Columbus’s push for a playoff position.
Patrick Schulte was outstanding between the sticks, finishing with eight saves and recording his sixth shutout of the season.
The Crew opened the scoring in the 22nd minute when Brais Méndez played a corner kick in to the back post, where Tapia was left unchecked to head home the opener.
Habroune doubled the advantage nine minutes into the second half, finishing with a composed first-touch shot off a perfectly weighted feed from Tapia.
The 20-year-old homegrown player, now in his third MLS season, has firmly established himself as a key contributor in Columbus’s recent surge up the table.
The result means Columbus, sitting at 10-15-5 with 35 points, trails ninth-place Cincinnati by just one point in the race for the final Eastern Conference wild-card spot.
The Crew have now won three consecutive matches against Cincinnati and remain unbeaten in five straight games across all competitions.
Columbus also extended their dominance in the Hell is Real rivalry, leading the all-time regular-season series 9-3-6 against their Ohio rivals.
The result piles more pressure on Cincinnati, who have managed just one win in their last nine games and now face a genuine fight to hold onto their playoff position.
With the regular season entering its final stretch, Sunday’s result could prove to be a decisive moment in the Eastern Conference wild-card race.
