VIDEO SHOWS: HIGHLIGHTS OF COLUMBUS CREW V FC CINCINNATI MLS GAME COMPLETE SHOTLIST TO FOLLOW SHOWS: COLUMBUS, OHIO, UNITED STATES (NOVEMBER 3, 2025) (SOCCER UNITED MARKETING – See restrictions) STORY: The Columbus Crew defeated FC Cincinnati 4-0 on Sunday (November 2) in Game two of their Eastern Conference first-round playoff series, forcing a decisive third match to be played on Saturday in Cincinnati. Max Arfsten starred for the Crew, scoring once and assisting twice to help the No. 7 seed level the best-of-three series after losing the opener 1-0 six days earlier. Columbus dominated the first half, opening the scoring in the 33rd minute when Arfsten converted a pass from Diego Rossi and dribbled past Cincinnati goalkeeper Roman Celentano to finish into an empty net. The Crew doubled their lead eight minutes later as Dylan Chambost capitalized on a free kick just outside the box, following a red card issued to Cincinnati midfielder Yuya Kubo for denying a goal-scoring opportunity. Andres Herrera and Jacen Russell-Rowe added goals in the 65th and 69th minutes, respectively, securing the victory for Columbus. Russell-Rowe, who entered the match as a substitute in the 61st minute, assisted Herrera before scoring the fourth goal off a pass from Arfsten. The result marked a commanding performance for the Crew, who recorded nine of the 10 shot attempts in the first half. Cincinnati's Celentano made four saves in the opening 45 minutes to prevent further damage, but the team struggled to recover after Kubo's dismissal. The loss sets up a high-stakes third game at TQL Stadium, where aggregate goals will not factor into the outcome of the series. The match was potentially the last home appearance for Crew midfielder Darlington Nagbe, a four-time MLS Cup champion who announced his retirement on Oct. 7. Columbus would need several higher-seeded teams in the Western Conference to lose in order to host the MLS Cup if they advance further in the playoffs. (Production: Suramya Kaushik)
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