Columbus Crew give up 2-0 lead, fall to Toluca FC in PKs during Leagues Cup: Takeaways

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The Crew had already coughed up their two-goal advantage over Liga MX's Toluca FC by the 88th minute of their Leagues Cup group-stage matchup when forward Diego Rossi stepped up for his second penalty kick in regulation. On his shot rested a chance for Columbus to avoid a penalty kick shootout
Unlike the penalty kick Rossi took in the first half to give Columbus a 1-0 lead, this attempt by the 27-year-old was saved by Toluca goalkeeper Luis Garcia, leading regulation to end in a 2-2. Toluca eventually defeated the Crew 4-2 in a penalty kick shootout at Lower.com Field on July 29.
Crew replay: Columbus Crew fall to Toluca FC in PK shootout during Leagues Cup group play
Rossi was one of two Crew players, along with midfielder Amar Sejdic, who missed an attempt during the shootout.
"He took the opportunity to score," Crew coach Wilfried Nancy said. "He didn't do it (on the two occasions) it could happen."
All three of the penalty kicks Rossi sent were to the bottom-right corner, which worked against Garcia the first time as he dove to the left. Garcia dove right on the second and third attempts, putting him in the perfect position to make the saves.
Rossi entered the game with a team-high four penalty kicks converted this year, connecting on all his attempts before facing Toluca.
Outside the penalty kicks, Garcia had a fairly quiet night, facing just two shots on target, one of which Crew midfielder Max Arfsten converted into a goal during the 48th minute.
Toluca, despite taking 20 shots with eight on target throughout the game, was scoreless until striker Joao Fernandes capitalized on Crew goalkeeper Patrick Schulte failing to secure the ball during the 71st minute. Schulte had just made the save on a shot from forward Helio Castro when the ball bounced off his chest and out of his arms.
"Pat wanted to catch the ball, but didn't get the ball," Nancy said. "I think that it was offside on this one, but again, this is what I saw. They (Toluca) were pushing."
Fernandes recorded his second goal at the 80-minute mark to level the game.
The Crew would have earned three points if they had maintained their lead, but walked out of their first group-stage game with one point toward their Leagues Cup standings, while Toluca secured two.
The top four teams from each league, based on points accumulated at the end of the group stage, will advance to the tournament's knockout rounds.
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Columbus Crew without multiple key players for PK shootout
The Crew had used five substitutions by the end of regulation, leaving them without Arfsten, Daniel Gazdag and Jacen Russell-Rowe in the shootout – all of whom had stepped up for penalty kicks in the past.
During Gazdag's time with the Philadelphia Union, he only missed one of 25 penalty kicks. More recently, Gazdag found his first goal with the Crew off a penalty kick against D.C. United on July 19.
Nancy knows Gazdag's track record, though that was far from Nancy's mind when he took Gazdag out with a little less than 15 minutes remaining in regulation.
"I saw in the moment that Daniel was already a bit tired," Nancy said. "He's played many minutes. The idea was to get a bit of freshness, simple as that."
Arfsten and Russell-Rowe have both had their share of success in penalty kick shootouts, with Arfsten recording the series winner against Tigres in the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals.
Having been in those high-pressure moments before made watching the Toluca shootout even more difficult for Arfsten.
"You can't affect it at all," he said. "So, it's definitely an emotional roller coaster. Every time they go, we want a save, and every time we go, they want to score. So, it's tough, it's emotional."
Columbus Crew have second matchup with late-game defensive struggles
The Crew's Leagues Cup opener marked the second consecutive game in which they have allowed an opponent to come back by scoring multiple goals with less than 20 minutes remaining in regulation.
Against Orlando City SC in regular-season action, the Crew conceded three goals after the 75th minute, which led to a 3-2 Orlando victory.
"That's two in a row, we know that's a lot," Crew defender Steven Moreira said. "Of course, 2-0 at home, we have to finish the game."
The Crew's struggle in keeping teams off the board late in games comes on the heels of their struggles to avoid early conceded goals. Against FC Cincinnati and Nashville SC, Columbus allowed both teams to score within the first three minutes.
Columbus Crew, Toluca FC displayed physicality in first Leagues Cup matchup in 2025
Both teams maintained a bruising style of play, and there were a few occasions when players got into heated arguments, having to be separated by officials or teammates.
The Crew and Toluca finished with a combined 29 fouls and seven yellow cards.
"That's the game," Moreira said. "I really like it, honestly, because they showed character, we did too, against a team like this. They come, they kick, and that was a good game, good fight, two good teams."
Columbus will host Liga MX's Club Puebla on Aug. 1 for their second of three games in the tournament's group stage. A game against Leon will follow on Aug. 5.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Crew drop lead, fall to Toluca in Leagues Cup: Takeaways