Orlando City SC 1–1 Columbus Crew

Alonso Contreras
Oct 8
3 min read

By Alonso Contreras

In a tightly contested Eastern Conference battle, Orlando City and Columbus Crew shared the spoils in a 1–1 draw at Exploria Stadium. The match was high on intensity and tactical precision, with both sides showcasing flashes of creativity but unable to find a late winner. Goals from Andrés Herrera and Marco Pašalić highlighted a lively first half, while the second period saw Orlando defending bravely and Columbus pressing for a decisive goal that never came.

First Half: End-to-end action and two quickfire goals

The opening half set a brisk tempo as Columbus took control of possession early, circulating the ball with their trademark composure under Wilfried Nancy’s fluid system. Orlando, meanwhile, sought to hit back in transition, relying on the speed of Iván Angulo and Luis Muriel to stretch the Crew’s back line.

Columbus looked the sharper side during the opening exchanges. Diego Rossi, Dylan Chambost, and Lassi Lappalainen each forced early saves from Pedro Gallese, who was at full stretch to deny Rossi in the eighth minute after a well-timed cutback from the right flank.

The visitors’ persistence paid off in the 32nd minute. After sustained pressure and a series of corners, Lappalainen burst into the box and squared a clever pass toward the onrushing Andrés Herrera, who finished first-time with his right foot into the lower left corner (xG 22%). It was a well-worked team goal and reflected Columbus’s growing dominance in the middle third.

However, Orlando responded swiftly just two minutes later. A flowing move initiated by Eduard Atuesta and Martín Ojeda found Luis Muriel, whose shot was parried by Patrick Schulte. The rebound fell kindly to Marco Pašalić, who slotted home a composed left-footed finish into the bottom right corner (xG 39%), equalizing at 1–1 and reigniting the crowd.

The remainder of the half saw both teams exchange opportunities. David Brekalo nearly gave Orlando the lead with a pair of headers from corners (43’, 47’), while at the other end Lappalainen missed a golden chance from close range (xG 48%), firing wide. By halftime, the scoreline accurately reflected an even, energetic contest.

Second Half: Orlando holds firm as Columbus presses

The second half opened with Orlando determined to tighten defensively. Their back line, led by Robin Jansson and Brekalo, absorbed waves of Columbus attacks, particularly through Ibrahim Aliyu, who replaced Lassi Lappalainen at the break.

Columbus maintained territorial dominance, creating several half-chances. Andrés Herrera tested Gallese again from distance (68’), while Aliyu had three attempts blocked in the box between the 49th and 75th minutes, all thwarted by a disciplined Orlando defense.

Orlando manager Óscar Pareja sought renewed energy by introducing Nicolás Rodríguez, Tyrese Spicer, and Dagur Thorhallsson in the 80th minute. The changes stabilized the midfield but did little to relieve pressure, as Columbus continued to probe through Darlington Nagbe and Dániel Gazdag, who replaced Diego Rossi in the 72nd minute.

Gallese, once again, was critical in preserving parity producing a reflex save in the 83rd minute to deny Max Arfsten’s close-range strike. Moments later, Gazdag and Aliyu both missed headers from promising positions, the best of which came in the 85th minute and sailed narrowly over the bar.

Orlando’s only real second-half threat came through set pieces. Martín Ojeda’s deliveries caused occasional chaos, though Patrick Schulte dealt confidently with aerial danger. As the game neared stoppage time, emotions flared Nicolás Rodríguez was booked for dissent in the 90’+2 minute after a foul on Sean Zawadzki, capping off a tense finish.

Despite late pushes from both sides, neither found the winner, and the match ended 1–1, a result that felt fair given each team’s effort and defensive discipline.

Full-Time Summary

Final Score: Orlando City SC 1–1 Columbus Crew

Goals:

32’ Andrés Herrera (CLB), assisted by Lassi Lappalainen
34’ Marco Pašalić (ORL), assisted by Luis Muriel

Yellow Cards:

Orlando: Alex Freeman (63’), Nicolás Rodríguez (90’+2)
Columbus: Malte Amundsen (24’)

Analysis

Both teams showcased their identities: Columbus’s patient build-up and structural dominance versus Orlando’s compact defending and vertical explosiveness. For Orlando, Gallese’s sharp reflexes and Brekalo’s aerial presence were crucial in denying Columbus. Pašalić’s goal highlighted the Lions’ resilience and opportunism.

For Columbus, Herrera impressed with his attacking instincts and overlapping energy, while Nagbe and Zawadzki controlled large spells of possession. Still, inefficiency in the final third cost them a potential three points.