COLUMBUS, Ohio — On Tuesday night, Felipe Carballo scored his inaugural goal with New York, leading the Red Bulls to a 1-0 victory over the Columbus Crew in the opening match of the best-of-three playoff series.

This win marks a significant achievement for New York, as it represents their first road victory during the MLS Cup playoffs since 2017. Additionally, it was the Red Bulls’ first-ever postseason triumph in Columbus, breaking a streak of four consecutive losses in that venue.

Carballo’s critical goal came in the 25th minute when he executed a volley off a header delivered by Dylan Nealis during a corner kick. Not long after, in the 37th minute, Lewis Morgan, who is New York’s leading scorer, nearly extended the advantage but narrowly missed with a shot that went just wide of the far post.

Morgan had yet another close opportunity in the 67th minute, finding himself one-on-one with Columbus goalkeeper Patrick Schulte, but he was unable to get a shot off after rounding past him.

In the game’s dying moments, New York goalkeeper Carlos Coronel showcased his skills with a remarkable save against DeJuan Jones’ close-range attempt in the 83rd minute. With at least eight saves to his name during this postseason match, Coronel becomes the first New York goalkeeper to achieve this feat since Ryan Meara recorded eight saves against the Crew in 2020.

Looking ahead, the Red Bulls are set to host Columbus in their next match on Sunday.