Lassi Lappalainen came off the bench to score his first goal for the Columbus Crew and give them a 2-1 victory over visiting D.C. United on Saturday.
Lappalainen blasted an 18-yard shot in the 78th minute to break the 1-1 tie after replacing Crew leading scorer Diego Rossi two minutes earlier. Lappalainen signed with the Crew (12-4-8, 44 points) in January after six seasons with CF Montreal.
It was a night of firsts for the Crew, who are 5-1-1 in the past seven matches.
Daniel Gazdag scored his initial Crew goal via a penalty in the 31st minute before Christian Benteke tied it in the 48th.
D.C. United (4-13-7, 19 points) are 0-6-1 in the past seven matches.
The kickoff was delayed 35 minutes because of inclement weather.
Gazdag, Philadelphia’s all-time goal leader with 59 from 2021-25, had not scored in 15 league matches for the Crew since being acquired in a trade with the Union on April 11.
He earned the penalty with a cutback on the right side of the box that drew a tripping foul on Lucas Bartlett. Rossi, the team’s usual PK taker, immediately pointed for Gazdag to go to the spot and he didn’t disappoint with a shot to the left corner for his 24th penalty goal in 25 tries in his MLS career.
Benteke, who did not play the previous match on Wednesday against Charlotte FC because of a thigh injury that has bothered him since May, scored his team-high seventh goal from 6 yards off a cross by Derek Dodson.
D.C. finished with 10 players after defender Aaron Herrera received a second yellow card to earn red in the 89th minute.
The match was vital for the Crew, who after a hosting Orlando City SC this Friday, will have just three MLS home matches through the end of the regular season on Oct. 18.
D.C. United have lost all three matches by a 2-1 score under interim manager Kevin Flanagan, who replaced the fired Troy Lesesne on July 10. Rene Weiler was announced as the new coach on Wednesday, but the native of Switzerland is awaiting a work visa.
–Field Level Media
