Cucho Hernandez had a goal and an assist in the second half to help the host Columbus Crew defeat Orlando City 4-3 and end the Lions’ three-match winning streak.
Max Arfsten had two assists for the Crew (16-5-8, 56 points), who are 4-1-1 in the past six matches.
They almost blew a three-goal lead to Orlando (12-11-7, 43 points), which got two goals from Luis Muriel.
Diego Rossi (30th minute), Christian Ramirez (51st) and Hernandez (71st) staked the Crew to the big lead before Orlando rallied.
Ramiro Enrique scored in the 74th minute on a rebound of Ivan Angulo’s shot off the post. Muriel converted a penalty three minutes later to make it 3-2 after Yaw Yeboah fouled Angulo.
Hernandez set up Aziel Jackson in the 85th minute for what proved to be an important insurance goal. Muriel trimmed Orlando’s deficit to 4-3 when he scored from outside the box in second-half extra time.
The Crew jumped out to a 3-0 lead after Hernandez Arfsten’s sublime pass from the right side for his team-leading 15th goal.
With Columbus in the middle of a congested schedule, Hernandez for the second straight match entered at the start of the second half for Rossi. Hernandez had a goal and an assist in the final 45 minutes of the 2-0 win at Toronto FC on Wednesday.
It was a back-and-forth first 45 minutes but only Rossi was able to score, just as he did in Orlando on May 25 when he provided the scoring in a 2-0 victory.
Orlando kept the Crew under wraps until a turnover by Martin Ojeda. The Crew pounced and Rossi’s shot from the top of the penalty area deflected off Orlando defender Robin Jansson for his 11th goal of the season.
It was the first goal allowed in four matches by Orlando, which won its previous three by an 8-0 total.
Ramirez doubled the score with a header from the 6-yard box. Jackson slid through the defense and found Arfsten on the left flank for his cross to Ramirez, who has eight goals.
–Field Level Media
