‘Grit, Resilience, Chemistry’—Columbus Crew Prove Contender Status in Hell is Real Derby Win vs. FC Cincinnati | OneFootball

For the first time since the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs, Columbus Crew SC have soccer bragging rights in the state of Ohio.

On Saturday night, the Black and Yellow fought back from a two-goal deficit to defeat FC Cincinnati 4–2 in the second Hell is Real Derby of the season, ending a streak of two draws in the matchup and earning their first regular-season win over Cincinnati since 2023

While Cincinnati’s Pavel Bucha scored in the first minute, after a rain delay pushed back kickoff, the Crew fought back with goals from Diego Rossi and Max Arfsten, before a Miles Robinson own goal and a Taha Habroune insurance goal sealed the win.

“Belief. Belief. Grit. Resilience. Chemistry,” said Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy when asked about the comeback. “We did a few little twists... After that second half, we also adjusted a few things. Tactically, yes, it was a really good job because we changed three or four times with what we wanted to do.”

Not only does the victory give Columbus a boost over their rivals, but it also extends their unbeaten streak to five matches, with four of those as wins. After a spell that saw them go six games without a victory, it’s a nice boost.

“This is difficult to describe. I know that it's like that, but to do it at Cincinnati, many games and coming from behind like this, I think this is more about the context because I know that we are able to come back from behind,” added Nancy. “I'm happy for the fans, I'm happy for the club, and I'm happy for the players.”

Columbus Crew Are Contenders Again

The slip of six winless matches in the spring was near uncharted territory for the Crew of recent seasons. While there was always going to be a hiccup after losing superstar Cucho Hérnandez to Real Betis ahead of the campaign, few would have expected the Crew to endure such a poor spell.

Yet, the recent weeks have been fruitful, and the win over their Hell is Real Derby foes is a statement, not only on their form, but also their status within MLS as they keep pace with the top of the Eastern Conference.

Now, the Crew sit on 40 points, one point behind FC Cincinnati for second in the Eastern Conference and two short of the Philadelphia Union for first. At the same time, they hold off the charge of Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, who have 38 points but as many as three games in hand on some clubs.

“I try to see my team with new eyes all the time,” said Nancy. “I said it at the beginning of the year, and maybe people were saying that, I don't know, I am a dreamer, but I know what I have, my team.

“I'm not saying that we need competition. We're going to get competition, but I know what we can do, and after that, we score many goals. I think that over the last three years, we are one of the best teams in terms of goals that we score.”

Tough Road Ahead

Diego Rossi will hope to lead Columbus Crew SC against a challenging opponent in Nashville SC on Wednesday. / Courtesy of Columbus Crew SC

The summer matches continue to come fast for both the Crew and FC Cincinnati, and this week will bring some of the most intense contests yet, as Columbus welcomes Sam Surridge’s Nashville SC and Cincinnati welcomes Messi’s Inter Miami.

While the Hell is Real Derby went down in Cincinnati, both Nashville and Miami dueled in a heavyweight battle in Fort Lauderdale, with Messi scoring his fifth straight brace to lead the Herons to a 2–1 win, snapping Nashville’s 15-game unbeaten run in the process.

A win against rivals is one thing, but continuing that form and finding the boost from the victory will be the bigger challenge, and one that Columbus will hope to rise to against the Tennessee side midweek.

“Mentally, it's massive,” Arfsten said post-match. “To beat them 4–2, it's not easy to do that in [Cincinnati], so I think it just gives us a lot of confidence, immensely, knowing that we're capable of doing this, whether it's home or away.”