COLUMBUS, Ohio — On Saturday night, Diego Rossi made a notable impact in the season opener for both the Columbus Crew and the Chicago Fire, scoring twice and helping his team secure a 4-2 victory. Rossi’s performance marked him as the fourth-fastest player currently in Major League Soccer to achieve 100 goal contributions, which include 65 goals and 35 assists, accomplished in just 149 regular-season matches.

Rossi showcased his prowess late in the first half, heading in a cross delivered by Steven Moreira during stoppage time, which allowed Columbus to take a 3-2 advantage. Just five minutes into the second half, he extended the Crew’s lead to two goals by capitalizing on a play initiated by Malte Amundsen, who dispossessed Philip Zinckernagel and laid the ball off to Rossi at the edge of the box.

For Chicago, 21-year-old Brian Gutiérrez made headlines by scoring twice, marking his first multi-goal game in MLS, while Jonathan Bamba impressed in his debut with two assists. Bamba, a 28-year-old winger acquired from Celta de Vigo, made a significant play in the 13th minute, dropping a well-placed pass to Gutiérrez, who executed a low shot that found the back of the net, giving Chicago an early lead.

The Crew equalized swiftly after Gutiérrez’s opener. In the 20th minute, under pressure from Columbus, Chicago’s goalkeeper Chris Brady received a pass from Sergio Oregel but was intercepted by Jacen Russell-Rowe near the penalty spot. Russell-Rowe managed to bounce his shot off the post into the net, leveling the score at 1-1. Gutiérrez added his second goal shortly thereafter, converting a clever setup from Bamba on a counter-attack to finish from the center of the box at the 22-minute mark.

Things took a turn back in favor of Columbus when Chicago defender Carlos Terán unintentionally scored an own goal, equalizing the score at 2-2 in the 38th minute. The match continued to showcase high levels of excitement as both teams fought for dominance in their season opener.