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fc cincinnati vs columbus crew
## FC Cincinnati and Columbus Crew Settle for a Draw in a Thrilling Match ### Intense Rivalry on Display as Both Teams Give it Their All **Cincinnati, Ohio** – In a highly anticipated matchup, FC Cincinnati and the Columbus Crew played to a 1-1 draw at TQL Stadium on Saturday night. The match, which was the first meeting between the two Ohio-based teams in nearly two years, lived up to its billing as a fierce and entertaining affair. FC Cincinnati took the lead in the 23rd minute through Luciano Acosta's stunning free-kick. Acosta curled the ball over the Columbus wall and into the top corner of the net, giving the home side a 1-0 advantage. The Crew responded well to going behind and equalized just seven minutes later through Miguel Berry. Berry latched onto a loose ball in the Cincinnati area and fired a low shot past Kenneth Vermeer to level the score. Both teams continued to push for a winner in the second half, but neither side could find a breakthrough. FC Cincinnati came close on several occasions, but Columbus goalkeeper Eloy Room was in inspired form, making several key saves to keep his team in the game. At the other end, Vermeer also made some important stops to deny the Crew a victory. The draw leaves FC Cincinnati in seventh place in the Eastern Conference standings, while the Columbus Crew remain in ninth place. Both teams will be looking to build on their performances when they return to action next week. **Key Moments** * 23rd minute: FC Cincinnati takes the lead through Luciano Acosta's free-kick. * 30th minute: Columbus Crew equalizes through Miguel Berry. * 75th minute: FC Cincinnati comes close to scoring through Brandon Vazquez, but his shot is saved by Eloy Room. * 88th minute: Columbus Crew comes close to winning it through Derrick Etienne, but his shot is cleared off the line by Nick Hagglund. **Post-Match Quotes** * **FC Cincinnati head coach Pat Noonan:** “I'm proud of the effort the guys put in tonight. We played a good game against a tough opponent. We had our chances to win it, but it wasn't to be. We'll learn from this and move on.” * **Columbus Crew head coach Caleb Porter:** “I thought we showed great character to come back from a goal down. We created some good chances, but we just couldn't find the winning goal. We're still a work in progress, but we're getting better every week.” **What's Next?** FC Cincinnati will travel to face the New England Revolution next Saturday, while the Columbus Crew will host the Philadelphia Union next Sunday.