Hell was real but also scoreless on Saturday night, as the Columbus Crew SC and FC Cincinnati dueled to a 0-0 draw at Nippert Stadium in the latest installment of their "Hell is Real" Derby.
The first half had the physicality and energy you'd expect in a rivalry game, but no goals. The best scoring chance for each team came, oddly, on an FC Cincy dead ball situation. In the 11th minute, the Crew broke a counter on the set piece finishing with Youness Mokhtar trying to chip a very-off-his-line Przemyslaw Tyton. The shot went wide, however. Then, in the 17th minute, a strong Siem de Jong free kick forced Eloy Room into a diving save. FCC couldn't convert on the rebound, even though Joe Gyau did get off a far-post header attempt.
The second half continued with more tantalizing chances but no breakthrough. That included a Lucas Zelarayan 51st-minute shot that skipped to the wrong side of the post, a Maikel van der Werff attempt on another spot-on de Jong free kick, a 55th-minute Gyasi Zardes cross in the box that Pedro Santos couldn't slide onto the end of, and a 71st-minute long Yuya Kubo shot that tested Room.
Van der Werff had one more chance to break the deadlock as stoppage time loomed, but couldn't convert on a good ball in from sub Haris Medunjanin, and the match ended like it started.
Goals
- None
Three Things
- THE BIG PICTURE: Though a win would have helped the Crew in their quest for the 2020 Supporters' Shield, they're still very much in the thick of it. On the whole, Cincinnati's probably more pleased this turned out a draw. Though the possession and shot stats favored the Crew, FCC put themselves in spots to grab all three points.
- MOMENT OF THE MATCH: The mano a mano moment between de Jong and Room was the match in a nutshell. De Jong, representing Cincinnati, showed some initiative and looked ready at times to win against the run of play, but Room kept enough poise and control to not cede a goal.
- MAN OF THE MATCH: Both Room and Tyton met their tests well keeping clean sheets on the night, but Tyton nearly had a costly gaffe, so give Room the slight edge on the night.
Next Up
- CIN: Wednesday, September 2 vs. Chicago Fire FC (7:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+, DAZN in Canada)
- CLB: Wednesday, September 2 vs. Philadelphia Union (7:30 pm ET | MLS LIVE on ESPN+, DAZN in Canada)
