Malte Amundsen scored in the seventh minute of second-half stoppage time to deliver the visiting Columbus Crew to a 3-2 win over the New York Red Bulls in the regular-season finale on Saturday in Harrison, N.J.
After Emil Forsberg scored twice in the second half to dig the Red Bulls out of a 2-0 hole, the run of play became a frantic push from end to end during stoppage time, with both teams having chances for the winner.
Dylan Chambost then sent an ordinary pass to Amundsen, who was well outside the box when he fired a grounder to the bottom-right corner that got through Red Bulls keeper Carlos Coronel.
The Crew (19-6-9, 66 points) were locked into the Eastern Conference’s second playoff seed entering the match. By beating the seventh-place Red Bulls (11-9-14, 47 points) on Decision Day, they ensured they will meet New York again in the Round 1 best-of-three playoff series.
Aziel Jackson recorded a goal and an assist for the Crew, and defender Yevhen Cheberko scored his first MLS goal in 31 career matches.
Nicholas Hagen saved five shots for Columbus. Coronel had three saves for New York.
The Red Bulls were on the attack for much of the second half. At one point, Hagen tried to dump a pass to his left and Dante Vanzeir intercepted it. He centered the ball to Lewis Morgan, whose chip shot was deflected out of bounds.
After the ensuing corner kick, Morgan’s cross reached Cameron Harper in front of the net. Harper collided with Hagen and a teammate as he got his head on the ball, and though it was a good chance it hit the left post and stayed out.
New York finally got on the board in the 78th minute. Morgan sent a perfect pass to Forsberg, who hesitated with the ball to get a defender to tumble, then sent a left-footed shot to the top-left corner of the net.
Then the Red Bulls benefited from a foul Elias Manoel drew on Rudy Camacho, who pulled him to the ground in the box as they went for a high ball. Forsberg deposited the penalty kick into the bottom-right corner to level the match in the 87th minute. It was his ninth goal of the season.
New York trailed most of the night after Columbus scored in the second minute. Cucho Hernandez struck a cross from far out on the left wing, and Jackson headed it right at Coronel, who couldn’t keep it from finding the goal.
In the 14th minute, Jackson touched a pass into the box for a streaking Cheberko, whose shot deflected off Coronel’s mitts and hopped into the net.
–Field Level Media
