Match Recap

New York City FC Goals: Wolf 45+3’, 69', Fernández 90+3'

Columbus Crew Goals: Gazdag 29’ (PK), Abou Ali 60’

Quick Read

New York City FC recorded a dramatic 3-2 win against Columbus Crew on a thrilling night in the Bronx. After trading goals from Dániel Gazdag and Hannes Wolf in the first half, Abou Ali restored Columbus’s lead on the hour mark before Wolf struck again. Late substitutes Agustín Ojeda and Julián Fernández then combined for a stoppage-time winner, sealing Pascal Jansen’s side a dramatic victory to boost their playoff push.

New York City FC returned to action on Wednesday night, welcoming the Columbus Crew to the Bronx.

Pascal Jansen’s side, fresh off a 3-1 win against Chicago Fire, knew another victory would strengthen their playoff push against Wilfried Nancy’s side.

Jansen made just one change from the weekend, with Raúl Gustavo stepping out for Andrés Perea.

New York City started brightly. After only five minutes, Maxi Moralez clipped a corner kick to the edge of the box, where Aiden O’Neill met it first-time—his strike skimming just wide.

Columbus replied almost immediately, Wessam Abou Ali seeing an effort blocked by Thiago Martins before Dániel Gazdag drew a smart stop from Matt Freese.

The hosts kept pressing. Perea forced Patrick Schulte into a save just before the half-hour, and Alonso Martínez soon tested him again from close range. At the other end, Freese denied Gazdag’s towering header with a sharp reflex save.

Columbus broke the deadlock five minutes before the interval. O’Neill was penalized for a challenge on Abou Ali inside the box, and Gazdag made no mistake from the spot.

Yet City found an answer in first-half stoppage time. O’Neill lofted a pass into the area, Justin Haak squared it across goal, and Hannes Wolf bundled the ball over the line to restore parity.

The second half began at a furious pace. In the 55th minute, Martínez went down under Schulte’s challenge, sparking fierce appeals for a penalty, but the referee did not agree.

Within minutes, the Crew made New York City pay. Abou Ali rose highest on the hour mark, his header glancing off the inside of the post before settling in the net.

Determined to respond, Martínez and O’Neill both tried their luck from distance, but Schulte held firm. Jansen then turned to his bench, withdrawing Martínez and Moralez for Agustín Ojeda and Julián Fernández.

The changes nearly paid off instantly. [First name] Wolf went close again, denied only by César Ruvalcaba’s block. Moments later, however, he would not be stopped. Meeting Ojeda’s curling cross at the back post, the Austrian lashed a left-footed volley beyond Schulte to level the contest once more.

The 82nd minute saw further changes for New York City as O'Neill and Fernández Mercau were replaced by Jonny Shore and Seymour Reid. The young forward went close to scoring minutes after coming on, but saw his header saved by Schulte.

Heading into stoppage time, New York City continued to push the issue and were rewarded late on. The goal was the product of a rapid counterattack instigated by Tayvon Gray. He played it to Ojeda, who drove forward before finding Fernández, who curled a delightful strike past Schulte at the death.

It proved to be the decisive strike and confirmed a dramatic 3-2 win for New York City on the night.