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Comeback City! Rodriguez, Detroit down Crew in Open Cup triumph

By USLChampionship.com Staff, 04/19/22, 11:44PM EDT

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Second-half goals earn DCFC place in Round of 32 after 2-1 victory before 6,121 at Keyworth Stadium


Detroit City FC earned a 2-1 victory against Major League Soccer's Columbus Crew on Tuesday night, taking victory in its first official meeting with top-flight opposition in the tournament in its history. | Photo courtesy Jon DeBoer / Detroit City FC

HAMTRAMCK, Mich. – It took the club’s first decade before Detroit City FC got its first chance to take on an opponent from Major League Soccer in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

On Tuesday night at Keyworth Stadium, the hosts made it worth the wait.

A pair of second-half goals by Maxi Rodriguez, including a penalty kick with four minutes remaining, sent DCFC to a 2-1 victory against the Columbus Crew before a crowd of 6,121 fans and into the Round of 32 draw as the hosts rallied from an early deficit to take a historic victory.

Columbus put its hosts on the back foot early on, and in the seventh minute took the lead from the penalty spot after DCFC midfielder Abdoulaye Diop was called for a foul in the box. Gyasi Zardes stepped up and fired low to the left corner just past the outstretched arm of a diving Nathan Steinwascher.

Detroit appeared undaunted by the task in front of it, however, and progressively began to start creating chances in the attacking third. Pato Botello Faz and Rhys Williams both had chances in the first half that went narrowly off target as the hosts outshot the Crew 6-2 in the opening half overall but were unable to test Columbus goalkeeper Evan Bush.

Hoppenot almost added a second assist with 14 minutes to go as his cross found Stephen Carroll for a header that glanced wide of the right upright. The decisive moment for Detroit City arrived with six minutes remaining, however, when substitute Michael Bryant controlled a cross from the left deftly on his chest and was hauled down in the penalty area by Columbus defender Josh Williams. Rodriguez stepped up to the spot and found the left corner, clipping the inside of the post before the ball spun across the line and in.

DCFC had to see out late pressure from the Crew, but the visitors were unable to muster a shot that tested Steinwascher. As the final whistle blew, the roar went up as DCFC remained undefeated at home this season and the first USL Championship side to move into Thursday’s draw.

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