FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — In a tightly contested match on Saturday night, Jacen Russell-Rowe scored the decisive goal for the Columbus Crew, leading his team to a narrow 1-0 victory over the New England Revolution. Patrick Schulte also contributed significantly to the win with two crucial saves.
The turning point came in the 51st minute when Mohamed Farsi capitalized on a counter-attack, skillfully setting up Russell-Rowe with a well-timed pass. The young forward made no mistake, firing a left-footed strike from the left-center of the box to put Columbus ahead. This marks Russell-Rowe’s second goal of the season, already nearing his career-high from the previous season.
The New England Revolution struggled throughout the game, managing only 42.6% possession and being limited to just five shots, compared to Columbus’s nine. Schulte, who famously achieved 10 clean sheets in the previous year, began this season with his first shutout, anchoring the Crew’s defensive efforts.
This victory extends Columbus’s winning streak to four matches and maintains their unbeaten run against the Revolution to nine games. New England’s last triumph over the Crew occurred on July 3, 2021, when they secured a 1-0 win at a nearly empty Gillette Stadium amid COVID-19 restrictions.
Caleb Porter, New England’s coach, is experiencing a tough start against his old team. He previously led Columbus to an MLS Cup victory in 2020 but was released after the 2022 season. Since taking charge of the Revolution, Porter has faced Columbus three times, succumbing to three consecutive defeats and witnessing his team being outscored 10-1.
