Crew, Union Play 2-2 Draw atop Eastern Conference

Sean Zawadzki scored a dramatic stoppage-time goal to help the Columbus Crew secure a 2-2 draw against the Philadelphia Union in a key Eastern Conference matchup. The Crew and Union, both among the top teams in the conference, exchanged leads with Tai Baribo and Francis Westfield scoring for Philadelphia, while Max Arfsten equalized for Columbus. Zawadzki's late goal came off a corner kick header by Diego Luna, sealing the tie and allowing Columbus to maintain their position tied with Cincinnati atop the Eastern Conference with 25 points, two ahead of Philadelphia. Despite outshooting the Crew 16-10, Philadelphia struggled with only 35% possession during the match. The game was notable for the return of former Union star Daniel Gazdag to Chester, who was traded to Columbus earlier in the season. Philadelphia's young goalkeeper Andrew Rick started in place of the injured Andre Blake, and the Union faced a tough schedule including a recent U.S. Open Cup game, yet still managed a strong performance.