Diego Rossi rescues Crew in 1-1 draw with Orlando as Abou Ali exits injured

Rossi scores late equalizer after Crew lose forward Wessam Abou Ali to first-half injury

Apr. 13, 2026 at 1:52am

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A cubist-style painting depicting a soccer match in sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes, conveying the dynamic action and energy of the game.A fragmented, cubist-inspired illustration captures the intensity and movement of the Columbus Crew's hard-fought draw with Orlando City.Columbus Today

Diego Rossi scored a late equalizer to rally Columbus Crew to a 1-1 draw with Orlando City on Sunday night, after the Crew lost forward Wessam Abou Ali to an apparent right leg injury in the first half. Marco Paali had given Orlando the lead in the 14th minute, but Rossi's goal in the 80th minute secured a point for the home team.

Why it matters

The draw extends Columbus Crew's winless streak at home to three games this season, as they continue to search for their first victory at home under new head coach Henrik Rydström. The injury to Abou Ali, who had scored two goals in the Crew's previous win, is also a concern for the team as they look to turn their season around.

The details

Marco Paali scored the opening goal for Orlando City in the 14th minute, assisted by rookie Tiago Souza and Iván Angulo. Wessam Abou Ali, who had scored two goals in the Crew's previous win, left the game on a stretcher in the 35th minute with an apparent right leg injury and was replaced by Taha Habroune. Diego Rossi scored the equalizer for Columbus in the 80th minute, taking a pass from Habroune for his third goal of the season.

  • The game was played on Sunday, April 12, 2026.
  • Wessam Abou Ali left the game in the 35th minute with an injury.
  • Diego Rossi scored the equalizer in the 80th minute.

The players

Diego Rossi

A forward for the Columbus Crew who scored the late equalizer in the 1-1 draw with Orlando City.

Wessam Abou Ali

A forward for the Columbus Crew who left the game in the first half with an apparent right leg injury.

Marco Paali

A midfielder for Orlando City who scored the opening goal in the 14th minute.

Tiago Souza

A rookie who provided an assist on Orlando City's opening goal.

Iván Angulo

A player for Orlando City who provided an assist on the opening goal.

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What’s next

The Crew will look to earn their first home win of the season when they host the New England Revolution on Saturday. Orlando City will try to bounce back from the draw when they host the Houston Dynamo, also on Saturday.

The takeaway

This result extends the Crew's winless streak at home to three games, as they continue to search for their first victory at home under new head coach Henrik Rydström. The injury to Abou Ali is also a concern, as he had been a key contributor for the team. Both sides will look to build on this result and gain momentum in their upcoming matches.