Cucho Hernandez had a goal and an assist off the bench to help the Columbus Crew defeat host Toronto FC 2-0 on Wednesday.
Hernandez made it 1-0 in the 51st minute. In his fourth MLS match, Andres Herrera scored his first goal in the 70th minute.
Patrick Schulte made three saves for his second straight shutout and 10th of the season for the Crew (15-5-8, 53 points). They are 3-1-1 in the past five matches.
Sean Johnson made two saves for Toronto (11-16-3, 36 points).
Entering at the start of the second half, Hernandez provided the spark with his 14th goal.
Jacen Russell-Rowe gathered a long ball and set up Hernandez for a two-touch strike from the top of the box for the Crew’s first goal in three matches.
Herrera, the defender signed on loan from River Plate (Argentina) on Aug. 6, received a pass from Hernandez and outmuscled Raoul Petretta for the ball and poked it past Johnson.
Hernandez has 25 goal contributions (14 goals, 11 assists) this season.
Toronto, without three injured defenders and another who was suspended, held its own in the first half against a revamped Crew lineup.
Crew coach Wilfried Nancy chose not to start Hernandez, midfield stalwart Darlington Nagbe and 2024 MLS All-Star defender Steven Moreira as the team plays three matches in eight days.
The first chance for Toronto came in the seventh minute when Federico Bernardeschi cut back to his favored left foot and ripped a shot from the right side off the crossbar.
He continued to exploit the right flank and in the 22nd minute, he sent a cross toward the near post where Lorenzo Insigne forced a save by Schulte.
Meanwhile, the Crew were disjointed with only two shots. Herrera had the lone one on target in the 35th minute that Johnson had no trouble stopping.
–Field Level Media
