Gabe Segal scored in the fourth minute of stoppage time as host New York City FC ended a 300-minute goalless drought to tie the Columbus Crew 1-1 on Saturday.
The Crew (8-6-4, 28 points) appeared headed for their fourth straight win. However, a deflection off a Crew player on Richy Ledezma’s pass that went across the face of the goal landed at the foot of Segal, who put away his second goal of the season.
New York City (4-7-7, 19 points) is winless in nine games (five losses, four ties) and was coming off consecutive 0-0 draws.
The Crew took the lead in the 48th minute on a goal by Christian Ramirez as a throw-in by Mo Farsi caught NYCFC napping. Cucho Hernandez quickly chipped the ball to Alex Matan and he raced down the right flank before his cross found Ramirez in the center of the box.
Ramirez has six goals, three coming in the past three games.
Hernandez got the second assist to set the franchise record with a goal contribution in nine straight games (four goals, seven assists).
Crew leading point producer Lucas Zelarayan (eight goals, seven assists) was away on international duty. He scored two goals for Armenia on Friday. He is expected to be available for the Crew’s next match against Nashville on June 24.
His replacement, Matan, blew an open look from the middle of the box in the sixth minute.
That was the story of the first half for both teams in piling up near-makes. Hernandez misfired from the left side, sending his shot past the right post after a through ball from Yaw Yeboah in the 34th minute.
Then it was NYCFC’s turn in the 36th. Gabriel Pereira muffed a header by putting it to the right of the target, and four minutes later Talles Magno could not convert a close shot.
New York loves to take advantage of its narrow field on the baseball diamond at Yankee Stadium. While winless on the road (0-5-4), New York City FC are 4-2-3 at home.
–Field Level Media
