The Columbus Crew are the defending MLS Cup champions and sit atop the Eastern Conference, but they couldn't end the league's drought on Mexican soil, allowing a pair of goals inside the opening 10 minutes in a 5-0 loss to CDSC Cruz Azul in a CONCACAF Champions League Group C clash at Estadio Azul on Wednesday night.
The 10-men Crew couldn't carry their domestic success across the border, as MLS is still winless in competitive matches in Mexico. Only the Houston Dynamo came away with a point in a wild 4-4 draw against Pumas UNAM in last year's inaugural competition.
After recording four consecutive clean sheets in six consecutive victories, Columbus conceded a goal in the opening four minutes as Jaime Lozano tapped in a cross from Honduran Marvin Nunez that was missed by sliding Columbus defender Eric Brunner.
Nunez then struck from distance in the ninth minute, beating Crew goalkeeper Will Hesmer from 30 yards out to double Cruz Azul's lead.
In the 36th minute, the Crew nearly got a goal back when a Guillermo Barros Schelotto corner kick snuck through to the far post where Chad Marshall got a slight touch on the ball, but it rolled off his foot.
Two minutes later, the Crew were reduced to 10 men after Honduran referee Oscar Moncada booked Brunner for the second time in a span of two minutes, clipping Cruz Azul's Rogelio Chavez in midfield late in the first half.
Two minutes before halftime, Columbus had another opportunity, but Cruz Azul goalkeeper Yosgart Gutierrez did well to come off his line to get a piece of Robbie Rogers' attempt after he was played through by Alejandro Moreno.
La Maquina went ahead 3-0 two minutes into the second half on an own goal by Marshall, who stepped in front of Hesmer and deflected Alejandro Vela's cross into the net.
Columbus coach Robert Warzycha made his first change in the 53rd minute, bringing on Adam Moffat for Schelotto and then welcomed the fresh legs of Emmanuel Ekpo for Moreno 12 minutes later.
He made his last change came in the 79th minute when Steven Lenhart replaced Rogers. Just two minutes later, though, the hosts tacked onto their lead after a debatable penalty kick decision.
The Crew were victimized by a dubious penalty call in the 81st minute when Lozano stumbled in the box and Moncada pointed to the spot. Lozano easily struck for his second, pushing the ball past Hesmer, who guessed wrong on the attempt.
Lozano completed the hat trick when his attempted cross deflected off Marshall's back, after a poor clearance by the United states international, and past a helpless Hesmer two minutes from full time.
The Crew, which welcomed back veteran fullback Frankie Hejduk for the first time in a month, not only saw their six-game winning streak snapped, but lost for only the second time since April 5.
Columbus, which plays seven matches in 21 days next month, returns to the Champions League Sept. 16 when they take on Deportivo Saprissa at the Monster's Cave in San Jose, Costa Rica. The Crew return to MLS action this weekend, taking on the New York Red Bulls Sunday at Giants Stadium.
Dylan Butler is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
