Columbus Crew loss to FC Cincinnati adds 'more fuel' to the Hell is Real rivalry
There was only so long that the Crew's undefeated streak at Lower.com Field could last.
Close calls in matchups in April games against D.C. United and Portland Timbers hinted that a home loss could happen sooner rather than later, but the last team the Crew wanted to break their 27-game undefeated streak was Hell is Real rival FC Cincinnati.
Replay: Columbus Crew fall to FC Cincinnati 2-1 in first MLS home loss since April 2023
"For sure we are disappointed for the fans, obviously, and also for us because I know that this is an important game," Crew coach Wilfried Nancy said. "This is Cincinnati, I'm not happy with that, my players are not happy also. But we have to move forward, and we know that we are going to be able to get better."
Falling to Cincinnati 2-1 on Saturday, the Crew struggled to possess the ball and, as a result, spent most of the game playing catch up. Columbus also failed to match Cincinnati's aggression.
Cincinnati appeared to be looking for revenge after being eliminated by the Crew in the 2023 MLS Cup Eastern Conference final on its home field in overtime 3-2. That translated into a physicality that led Cincinnati to being called for 16 fouls to Columbus' eight. It also led to midfielder Sean Zawadzki limping out of Lower.com Field, not due to injury, but from the pain of taking hard hits in the match.
"I think it comes down to being such a big game, such a rivalry between the two teams for the state of Ohio," Zawadzki said. "We saw that in every game last year, everything's intensified. Players are a little bit on edge when things happen, so I think it was kind of expected."
Despite failing to match Cincinnati's physicality and being guilty of several miscues, up until the 74th minute the Crew managed to keep the score level.
Once Cincinnati scored two goals in the span of three minutes, any spark the Crew had was extinguished.
Max Arfsten and Christian Ramirez entered the match in the 81st minute, desperate to bring any energy to the Crew lineup.
In the final minute before stoppage time, Arfsten scored to avoid a shutout, but that failed to negate the sting of losing to an inner-state rival.
"It's going to add more fuel, definitely," Arfsten said. "We knocked them out last year in the playoffs, and they come to our home and beat us. So, there's definitely going to be some animosity next time we play them, there always is."
Up until Saturday, the Crew held a 4-0-1 record against Cincinnati in Columbus.
Following what could be considered Columbus' worst loss to Cincinnati in the six years since the MLS rivalry began, the Crew will have to wait until Sept. 14 to turn the momentum in the Hell is Real series back in their favor.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Crew, FC Cincinnati add 'more fuel' to Hell is Real rivalry
