Red Bulls Win Playoff Opener Against Crew

The New York Red Bulls defeated the Columbus Crew 1-0 in the opening match of their MLS Cup Playoffs series, marking New York's first postseason win in Columbus and their first road playoff victory since 2017. Felipe Carballo scored the decisive goal in the 25th minute, while goalkeeper Carlos Coronel made a crucial save late in the match. The Crew, looking to defend their title after winning the MLS Cup in 2023, previously defeated the Red Bulls 3-0 in a regular-season match earlier this year. The second match of the best-of-three series will be held in New Jersey on Sunday. Columbus finished the regular season with a club-record 66 points but fell short of winning the Supporter's Shield. Despite the loss, Crew coach Wilfried Nancy emphasized the team's consistency and ambition to reclaim their title.