Columbus Crew 2–1 San Jose Earthquakes: Grit, Glory, and a Gasping Finish in Ohio

By Rene Vidal

The home crowd, draped in gold and black, sang with defiant energy from the first whistle, and it didn’t take long for the drama to unfold.

First Half – Early Dominance, Late Drama

Columbus sprang out of the blocks, buzzing with urgency and precision. Within minutes, Max Arfsten was testing the Earthquakes' backline, sending an early warning shot over the bar. Jacen Russell-Rowe soon followed with a skyward blast — close, but not quite the opening salvo the fans craved.

San Jose struggled to cope with Columbus's high press. The Crew won corner after corner, each delivery from Diego Rossi whipping menace into the six-yard box, but early chaos didn't yield a breakthrough.

Then came the eruption.In the 29th minute, Sean Zawadzki, with the instincts of a born finisher, latched onto a loose ball inside the penalty area. With a clinical swing of his right boot, he slotted low into the left corner — a strike brimming with confidence (xG 73%). The stadium shook as Crew supporters leapt to their feet, scarves twirling in unison.

The Earthquakes, however, refused to crumble.In the 40th minute, Beau Leroux — in one of San Jose's few fluid moves of the half — found Josef Martínez with a deft pass. The veteran striker made no mistake, rifling a left-footed shot into the back of the net from close range (xG 35%). Against the run of play, San Jose were level — their bench exploding with joy.

As the first half drew to a close, the match crackled with tension. Columbus kept probing, but San Jose, emboldened by their goal, stood firm. At halftime, it was anyone’s game.

Second Half – Posts, Scrambles, and a Touch of Class

The Crew, fueled by frustration, emerged from the tunnel with fire in their boots.Within minutes, Diego Rossi rattled the left post with a fierce strike — a sound that sent a collective groan around Lower.com Field. Moments later, he fired over again, hands on head in disbelief.

San Jose, to their credit, found their own rhythm. Cristian Arango and Preston Judd each had glimpses of goal, but Patrick Schulte stood tall in the Columbus net — his gloves repelling everything that came his way.

The breakthrough — the moment that sent the home crowd into ecstasy — arrived in the 62nd minute.Aziel Jackson, recently introduced, found Max Arfsten with a brilliant pass inside the penalty box. Arfsten steadied himself under pressure, then unleashed a sublime left-footed shot into the top left corner (xG 27%). It was a goal that mixed composure with quality, and it gave Columbus the crucial edge they desperately fought for.

But the drama was far from over.

San Jose threw everything forward. Bouda, Tsakiris, and Judd fired efforts toward goal, but time and again, Columbus bodies hurled themselves into blocks, with Malte Amundsen and Sean Zawadzki putting their bodies on the line in heroic fashion.

Rossi, desperate to kill the game, struck the post again in the 84th minute — a cruel twist of fate that kept San Jose alive deep into the night.

As tension rose, tempers flared.Both Patrick Schulte and Steven Moreira picked up yellow cards for time-wasting and gamesmanship, to the fury of San Jose’s bench.

In the dying minutes, Darlington Nagbe and Dániel Gazdag showed their veteran savvy, winning vital fouls that let the Crew breathe and slowly squeeze the life out of the final minutes.

When the referee finally blew the whistle, the Crew players collapsed to the turf — a mix of exhaustion and triumph etched on their faces.The fans, having ridden the emotional rollercoaster with them, erupted into song, celebrating a hard-earned three points on a night that demanded every ounce of heart.

Final Score: Columbus Crew 2–1 San Jose Earthquakes

Key Moments:

• ⚽ 29’ — Sean Zawadzki fires Columbus ahead.

• ⚽ 40’ — Josef Martínez levels with clinical finish for San Jose.

• ⚽ 62’ — Max Arfsten's masterstroke restores Crew’s lead.

Post-Match Scenes

As the players completed their lap of appreciation, Diego Rossi lingered longest, applauding the fans — perhaps ruing his two shots off the woodwork, but grateful for the support that pushed them over the line.

Max Arfsten, drenched in sweat and grinning ear to ear, embraced teammates near the touchline.Patrick Schulte, arms aloft, saluted the supporters who had chanted his name after every heroic save.