Crew goalkeeper Will Hesmer scored his first career MLS goal during a scramble in second-half stoppage time and Columbus escaped BMO Field on Saturday with a dramatic 2-2 draw against Toronto FC.
Although the draw extended the current winless streak to six for the Crew (13-8-8), it kept them on pace with the Eastern Conference-leading New York Red Bulls. It also helped the Crew narrowly avoid their first loss in 14 games when scoring first this season, as well as a first-ever loss to Toronto FC in 11 games all-time.
The loss was another dose of bad news for Toronto FC (8-13-8), who let a late 2-1 lead slip after overcoming an early Columbus goal. The Reds are winless in their last four matches heading into next week’s season finale.
Hesmer was the unlikely hero in this one after he joined the fray on a 92nd minute corner kick by Eddie Gaven. He gathered a loose ball in front of the Toronto net and poked a right-footed shot into the net to become the first goalkeeper to score in an MLS match since New York’s Danny Cepero scored against the Crew in 2008.
The draw soured a solid day for Toronto’s Maicon Santos, who scored the Reds’ first goal with a left-footed blast from 25 yards out in the 29th minute. TFC homegrown product Nicholas Lindsay then helped the home side get a big goal before the break, a point-blank finish from Jacob Peterson after Lindsay skipped a cross into the box in the 38th minute.
Chad Marshall put the Crew up in the 15th minute off a Guillermo Barros Schelotto corner kick. Marshall snapped a header off the crossbar that deflected off Crew goalkeeper Jon Conway’s back and into the net for the early lead.
The game turned physical midway through the second half, when the Crew’s Steven Lenhart and TFC’s Conway were both ejected for an altercation in front of the Toronto goal. Both players will be suspended for the season finales next weekend, when TFC take on D.C. United and the Crew host the Philadelphia Union.
Scoring Summary:
CLB -- Chad Marshall 2 (Guillermo Barros Schelotto 9) 15
TOR -- Maicon Santos 3 (unassisted) 29
TOR -- Jacob Peterson 1 (Nicholas Lindsay 2, Nick LaBrocca 4) 38
CLB -- William Hesmer 1 (unassisted) 92+
Columbus Crew -- William Hesmer, Andy Iro, Chad Marshall, Gino Padula (Andres Mendoza 55), Robbie Rogers, Brian Carroll, Emmanuel Ekpo (Kevin Burns 69), Adam Moffat, Eddie Gaven, Guillermo Barros Schelotto (Jason Garey 80), Steven Lenhart.
Substitutes Not Used: Eric Brunner, Shaun Francis, Danny O'Rourke, Andy Gruenebaum.
Toronto FC -- Jon Conway, Raivis Hscanovics, Nana Attakora, Ty Harden, Nick Garcia, Jacob Peterson, Julian de Guzman, Dan Gargan, Nicholas Lindsay (Milos Kocic 73), Nick LaBrocca, Maicon Santos (O'Brian White 80).
Substitutes Not Used: Gabe Gala, Doneil Henry, Fuad Ibrahim, Joseph Nane, Maksim Usanov.
Misconduct Summary:
TOR -- Dan Gargan (caution; Reckless Foul) 21
TOR -- Nick Garcia (caution; Reckless Foul) 28
CLB -- Andy Iro (caution; Reckless Tackle) 51
CLB -- Adam Moffat (caution; Reckless Tackle) 61
CLB -- Steven Lenhart (ejection; Serious Foul Play) 71
TOR -- Jon Conway (ejection; Violent Conduct) 72
Referee: Jorge Gonzalez
Referee's Assistants: Adam Wienckowski; George Gansner
4th Official: Geoff Gamble
Time of Game: 1:52
Weather: Clear-and-50-degrees
Attendance: 18,084
