ATLANTA – โ Columbus Crew secured a thrilling 5-4 victory overโค Atlanta United FC on saturday night, a result โขhead โคcoach Wilfriedโค Nancy deemed โค”worked” despite a back-and-forth contest. The Crew overcame a late first-half goal conceded and an early second-half surge โfrom Atlanta to โขmaintain โคtheir position inโ the Eastern Conference playoff picture.
The winโ pushes โคColumbus to โfive matches remaining in the regular season, currently fifth in theโข Eastern Conferenceโฃ standings.While a postseason berth appears increasingly likely, the Crew are focused onโ climbing intoโข the top four โto โฃguaranteeโค home-field advantage โขin the first round of the playoffs. Nashville currently holds theโ fourth โขspot with 50โ points, โhaving played oneโ additional game.
Nancy acknowledged a performance improvement from the teamS previous outing, stating, “he did โคa good game because โคthe last game, โit was average, I would say; it was good stuff, but not enough. First game as a starter, it is very normal. Tonight, he was good defensively and also offensively. Good for him.”
Atlanta scored in first-half stoppage time, then โadded two rapid goals in the opening five minutes of the second half, and a fourth in the โ88th โคminute. However,Columbus prevented Atlanta โfrom โฃequalizing.
Midfielder โฃDarlington Nagbe reflected on the contrasting halves, saying, “It โขalmostโข felt like two โdifferent games, you know, two different halves, obviously. But,โ you know, โfirst half was great. We didn’t want toโ give โupโข thatโ goal atโ the end of โthe โhalf and then go into the half โฃafter giving โขup a goal and give them momentum โbut in second half, we gave up an early goalโ and you know, justโ the little moments โคwhere we can be better โคand moreโค professional.”
Nagbe continued,โ “We certainly know there’s time. We’ve โgot to โrealize โthat we can play โandโฃ that we โฃbelong, myself included. Obviously want to โคbe involved for the team butโ most โof the time we have to clear the ball to make the play, โbut it’s a winโ and we’ll take the three points.”
The Crew willโ quickly return to action with a โmidweek match againstโ New Yorkโฃ City FC on Wednesday night.