Columbus Crew, reigning MLS Cup champions, suffered a shocking loss to the New York Red Bulls in the first round

The Columbus Crew began their title defense with an early shock in the young MLS postseason, falling 1-0 at home to the New York Red Bulls in their opening game on Tuesday.

Columbus, the 2023 MLS Cup champion, conceded a goal from a New York corner in the 25th minute when Felipe Carballo scored a header off an assist from Dylan Nealis.

Felipe Carballo shoots the volley @NewYorkRedBulls in the lead! 🔥

📺 Free on Apple TV: https://t.co/vgtvvDiPeR // Audi #MLSCupPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/xxS4jcCAxH

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 29, 2024

The Crew are the only higher seeds to date to lose their opening game in the MLS best-of-three first round. They must win on the road in Harrison, New Jersey, on Sunday to force a decisive third game, which, if necessary, will be played in Columbus on November 10. A loss this weekend would be a shocking end to a season long considered worthy of title contention.

The Red Bulls have been one of the most revamped teams in MLS this season, moving further away from the wider soccer group's counter-pressing ideology under new coach Sandro Schwarz. New York got off to a hot start and was atop the Eastern Conference in May. However, due to their fluctuating form over the remainder of the season, the Red Bulls ended up in seventh place in the table and lost 3-2 at home to Columbus on the final matchday of the regular season.

On Tuesday, however, the guests seemed to have learned from their mistakes from ten days earlier. Their opportunism on that first-half corner was matched by impressive defensive determination, allowing the Crew to gain possession in less dangerous areas while also closing passing windows into the penalty area.

Paraguay international Carlos Coronel made some impressive saves in the net, while striker Lewis Morgan provided an important outlet with his tireless runs upfield, helping to keep Columbus honest. US youth international Daniel Edelman also did an excellent job anchoring the Red Bulls' midfield.

HUGE save from Carlos Coronel to maintain the 1-0 lead. ❌

📺 Free on Apple TV: https://t.co/vgtvvDiPeR // Audi #MLSCupPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/dUecFuds4T

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 30, 2024

As one of the most aesthetically pleasing and competitive MLS teams, Columbus lacked much of the drive and determination that characterized the last two years under Wilfried Nancy.

Due to injuries, the team was missing key players such as striker Diego Rossi and strong defender Malte Amundsen, and their absences were felt in all phases of the game's preparation. Star striker Cucho Hernández was forced to act more as a facilitator rather than a goal threat, which led to an inordinate number of Columbus shots from outside the 18-yard box.

Personnel changes played a role in the Red Bulls' approach, as the visitors maintained a compact defensive shape that proved difficult to break through. The Crew sent 33 crosses, the highest number in MLS games this season. The Crew averaged just 14.8 crosses per game during the regular season.

While Nancy's system is designed to create width, his teams prefer to move the ball closer to the center of the court to set up their shots.

Without an obvious goal of winning headers from crosses, a funnel of futility emerged for the crew.

The victory was also New York's first against Columbus in 2024 after losing 3-0 on the road in March and again at home on Decision Day. A founding member of the MLS in 1996 (then known as the New York/New Jersey MetroStars), the Red Bulls are still searching for their first MLS Cup title. A win in the second game or (if necessary) the third game would bring them one step closer to finally bucking this historical trend.

Last season, an underdog pulled off a first-round upset when Western Conference eighth-seeded Sporting Kansas City defeated top-seeded St. Louis City in just two games. The higher-seeded teams had won each of the six opening games of the series played Tuesday night as the current postseason format is in its second season.

The final opening game of the first round between Real Salt Lake and Minnesota United began shortly after the Red Bulls' victory.

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(Photo: Adam Cairns / Columbus Dispatch / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)