Columbus Crew earned three vital points at home by defeating Philadelphia Union 1-0 in a tightly contested match during Week 18 of the MLS. The decisive moment came courtesy of Mohamed Farsi, who netted the only goal in the 46th minute of the first half.
Farsi capitalized on a well-placed cross from Lassi Lappalainen, unleashing a strike that outmaneuvered goalkeeper Andre Blake.
Mohamed Farsi was undoubtedly the standout player of the match, making a significant impact with his lone goal.
Defender Lassi Lappalainen also made a mark, contributing crucially to the team’s solid defensive line.
Columbus Crew’s head coach, Wilfried Nancy, opted for a 4-4-2 formation, fielding Evan Bush in goal, with Mohamed Farsi, Steven Moreira, Yevhen Cheberko, and Lassi Lappalainen in defense. The midfield comprised Dylan Chambost, Sean Zawadzki, Darlington Nagbe, and Amar Sejdic, while Diego Rossi and Daniel Gazdag led the attack.
On the other side, Philadelphia Union, under coach Bradley Carnell, also set up in a 4-4-2 formation with Andre Blake between the posts. Their defensive line included Alejandro Bedoya, Jovan Lukic, Olwethu Makhanya, and Kai Wagner. The midfield featured Indiana Vassilev, Danley Jean Jacques, Jesús Bueno, and Benjamin Bender, while Bruno Damiani and Markus Anderson spearheaded the offense.
Filip Dujic officiated the match held at Lower.com Field.
Looking ahead, Columbus Crew will face Seattle Sounders as their next opponents, while Philadelphia Union will be traveling to Nashville SC.
Substitutions for Columbus Crew
83’ 2T – Diego Rossi was replaced by Taha Habroune
Yellow Cards for Columbus Crew:
4’ 2T Daniel Gazdag (Reiteration of fouls) and 43’ 2T Taha Habroune (Unsporting behavior)
Substitutions for Philadelphia Union
45’ 2T – Markus Anderson was substituted for Chris Donovan, Benjamin Bender for Cavan Sullivan, Yevhen Cheberko for Andrés Herrera, Lassi Lappalainen for Aliyu Ibrahim, and Amar Sejdic for Jacen Russell Rowe.
62’ 2T – Bruno Damiani was replaced by Sal Olivas.
71’ 2T – Indiana Vassilev was substituted for David Vazquez.
76’ 2T – Alejandro Bedoya left the pitch for Jeremy Rafanello.
Yellow Cards for Philadelphia Union:
0’ 1T Alejandro Bedoya (Unsporting behavior), 31’ 1T Jesús Bueno (Unsporting behavior), 34’ 1T Jovan Lukic (Unsporting behavior), 19’ 2T Kai Wagner (Unsporting behavior), 32’ 2T Sal Olivas (Unsporting behavior), and 41’ 2T Danley Jean Jacques (Unsporting behavior)