Ojeda’s Career Night Lifts Short-Handed NYCFC Past the Crew 2-1

Photos by: Jonathan Mensah

New York City FC came to Columbus missing nine players and coming off two straight losses. It left with three points. Nicolás Fernández converted a first-half penalty, Agustín Ojeda added the winner midway through the second half, and NYCFC held on for a 2-1 win over the Columbus Crew on Wednesday night.

New York City FC 2, Columbus Crew 1
ScottsMiracle-Gro Field | Wednesday, July 22

It was NYCFC's first MLS match in 60 days after the World Cup break, and the Crew had more of the ball for most of the night, finishing with 59 percent of possession. The visitors made their chances count. In the 28th minute, Max Arfsten brought down Ojeda in the box, and Fernández stepped up and buried the penalty for his 10th goal of the season.

Columbus pushed for an equalizer after the break, but Matt Freese was there when it mattered, getting down to stop a low effort from Taha Habroune early in the second half. Then NYCFC doubled the lead. In the 70th minute, substitute Talles Magno won the ball from Rudy Camacho and squared it for Ojeda, who finished for his fourth goal of the season, already a career high.

The Crew finally broke through in stoppage time. A handball against Thiago Martins gave Columbus a penalty, and Dániel Gazdag, on as a 74th-minute substitute, converted it in the 93rd minute. NYCFC saw out the final minutes to end its two-match skid.

Player of the match: Agustín Ojeda won the penalty that opened the scoring and finished the winner. After going without a goal in 34 appearances last season, he now has four.

Stat to know: NYCFC won with only three saves needed from Freese, and Fernández nearly added a third when his free kick rattled the crossbar.

What it means: NYCFC moved to 6-6-4 despite a long injury list that included Alonso Martínez, Maxi Moralez and Keaton Parks. The Crew, who had won two straight before the break, fell to 4-8-4.

Up next: Both teams play again Saturday. The Crew host FC Cincinnati in the Hell Is Real derby, and NYCFC hosts the Chicago Fire.