Gonzalo Tapia scored and added an assist and Patrick Schulte made eight saves as the surging Columbus Crew defeated host FC Cincinnati 2-0 to move closer to a playoff berth.
Tapia opened the scoring in the 22nd minute and set up Taha Habroune in the 54th for the Crew (10-15-5, 35 points), who have won five of six to move two within one point of ninth-place Cincinnati for the final spot in the Eastern Conference with four matches left.
Cincinnati (9-11-9, 36 points) has lost four of five and is 1-5-3 in the past nine matches.
The Crew took the lead over a temporary 10-player Cincinnati side when defender Tyrell Malacia was off the field while being tended for an injury. He returned immediately after the goal was scored.
Brais Mendez took a right corner kick for the Crew and sent a ball to the back post where an unmarked Tapia converted a 5-yard header.
The Crew, who had 60 shot attempts in the past two matches — including 22 in the first half vs. Charlotte FC in the previous match — scored on one of just two shots in the first half.
Columbus was outshot 24-4 in the game and scored on its only two on target in sweeping the season series for the first time.
Schulte carried the shutout into halftime with a diving stop of a free kick from 30 yards by Evander at the end of stoppage time.
The Crew extended the lead in the 54th with the 20-year-old Columbus native Habroune scoring in a third straight match to give him five for the season.
Santi Rodriguez started the play with a ball ahead to Tapia on the left wing. He made a cutback pass to Habroune 12 yards in front of the goal and the youngster’s shot tucked inside the far left post.
As a standalone match, the Ohio rivals clearly knew what was at stake. Cincinnati had a chance to leap the Red Bulls (36 points) for eighth place and widen the gap over 10th-place D.C. United (36 points) with five matches left.
Cincinnati will make up its game-in-hand on Wednesday with the start of a critical home-and-home with D.C. United.
Meanwhile, the Crew has been chasing a playoff spot since the return to play in late July after the two-month World Cup break.
–Field Level Media
