It was always going to be a tough game for Loudoun United when facing their first MLS team in club history. Now, add a red card in the 10th minute and it’s near impossible, even playing at home. That combination was just too much for the USL Championship side as the Columbus Crew would make easy work of the first year U.S Open Cup team by the score of 5-1.
With the win, the Crew put an end to an unfortunate streak in the tournament. Combined with last round’s 1-0 home win over Indy Eleven (USL Championship), the victory over Loudoun United gives them consecutive wins for the first time in more than a decade. The win ends the Crew’s streak of 10 straight tournaments without advancing in multiple games. It is the third-longest such streak in the Modern Era (1995-present).
Columbus would waste no time in breaking the deadlock as wide playmaker Yaw Yeboah would pounce on a misplaced clearance from the Loudoun backline and would take it first time and slot it home against Loudoun keeper Hugo Fauroux. It looked as if it was going to be a uphill battle for Loudoun after conceding early but just four minutes things went from bad to worse.
After Columbus took a free kick quickly, fullback Mo Farsi would find himself behind the Loudoun backline and through on goal. Then on the edge of the box Loudoun defender Gaoussou Samake would attempt to make a last ditch tackle on Farsi but would instead trip him up, it took the referee no time to make his decision as it would be an immediate red card in the 10th minute.
Columbus would take immediate advantage of the extra man and just eight minutes later it’d be young Sean Zawadzki, who would strike a beauty of a long shot from right outside the box that would curl right into the bottom right of the goal. The goal would be only his second of his career and the second of the night for Columbus.
The next two goals for the Crew would only be four minutes apart, the first coming from Loudoun pushing up the pitch trying to get back into the game. This though would see them short at the back and Columbus striker Christian Ramirez would be played through and find himself on a counter along with teammate Isaiah Parente. Ramirez would take only one touch and lay it off for Parente who would open his scoring account for the night.
The build up ????
— The Crew (@ColumbusCrew) May 11, 2023
The finish ????????#Crew96 ✘ @Chris_Ramirez17 pic.twitter.com/Bt0m0gHhZF
Then just moments later Loudoun would fail to clear their lines again, leaving Parente to just poke the ball into the back of the net to make it 4-0. Columbus would go on their longest goal drought in the first half, that’d be broken just ten minutes later as Parente would pay back Ramirez for his earlier assist with one himself after a beautiful pass would give Ramirez a chance he couldn’t and wouldn’t miss. The 5-0 scoreline would stay true through the end of the half.
The second half would be much slower as Columbus would control the majority of the possession as Loudoun with ten men just could not hold onto the ball. It seemed that Loudoun would leave the night with nothing to show for but in the 85th minute Kalil ElMedkhar would win and score a penalty. The goal would be historic as it marks the clubs first goal against a MLS side.
After struggling to score last round against Indy Eleven and Loudoun’s impressive round of 64 this is a scoreline that will be a bit of a surprise. For Columbus they now shift their focus back to MLS play as they host Orlando City. As for Loudoun this is obviously a disappointed result but there should still be a lot of optimism around the club this season as it is still early in their USL Championship season.
