Crew Earn Draw vs. Sporting KC on Late Goal

Diego Rossi scored in the 82nd minute to salvage a point for Columbus

Mar. 3, 2026 at 1:23am

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The Columbus Crew earned a 2-2 draw against Sporting Kansas City on Saturday night, with Diego Rossi scoring a late goal to level the match. Wassou Abou Ali also scored for the Crew, while Dejan Joveljic netted a brace for Sporting KC. The draw leaves both teams with 1 point after the first two matches of the season.

Why it matters

The result means neither team has picked up their first win of the 2026 season, leaving them both searching for their first three points. The match featured a late comeback from the Crew, who generated more quality chances over the course of the game.

The details

Rossi scored the equalizer in the 82nd minute, capitalizing on a failed clearance by Sporting KC defender Wyatt Meyer. Abou Ali had given the Crew an early lead, but Joveljic scored twice to put Sporting KC ahead 2-1 before Rossi's late heroics. Columbus finished the match with a slight edge in shots and possession.

  • The match was played on Saturday, March 1, 2026.
  • Abou Ali scored in the 33rd minute to give the Crew an early lead.
  • Joveljic equalized in the 48th minute and then put Sporting KC ahead in the 72nd minute.
  • Rossi scored the late equalizer in the 82nd minute.

The players

Diego Rossi

A forward for the Columbus Crew who scored the late equalizing goal.

Wassou Abou Ali

A midfielder for the Columbus Crew who scored the opening goal.

Dejan Joveljic

A forward for Sporting Kansas City who scored both of his team's goals.

Wyatt Meyer

A defender for Sporting Kansas City whose failed clearance led to the Crew's late equalizer.

John Pulskamp

The goalkeeper for Sporting Kansas City who made several key saves to keep his team in the match.

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What they’re saying

“We'll take the point, but we know we had the chances to get all three. The guys showed a lot of fight to come back at the end.”

— Caleb Porter, Columbus Crew Head Coach

“It's frustrating to let the lead slip away like that, but credit to Columbus for battling back. We have to learn from this and be better next time.”

— Peter Vermes, Sporting Kansas City Head Coach

What’s next

Both teams will look to earn their first win of the season in their next matches. Columbus will host the New England Revolution on March 8, while Sporting KC will travel to face the Seattle Sounders on March 15.

The takeaway

This draw leaves both the Crew and Sporting KC still searching for their first victory of the 2026 MLS season. The late comeback from Columbus demonstrated their resilience, but they will be disappointed not to have taken all three points from the match.