Columbus salvage 2-2 tie with Nashville SC thanks to own goal in 81st minute

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Columbus Crew capitalized on a Nashville SC own goal in the 81st minute to salvage a 2-2 tie on Wednesday, keeping the teams deadlocked for third place in the Eastern Conference standings at 28 points apiece.

Hany Mukhtar scored at 78 minutes to put Nashville ahead 2-1. The Crew responded when a service from Malte Amundsen bounced off the leg of Jeisson Palacios near the left post to level it.

With the draw, Nashville (8-4-4) stayed unbeaten in May with five wins and three draws. The Crew (7-2-7) have four ties and a loss in their past five matches and have not won since May 3 when they beat Charlotte FC 4-2.

Columbus keeper Nicholas Hagen’s late stop of Andy Najar in extra time preserved the win. Hagen recorded four saves in his second start substituting for Patrick Schulte.

Sam Surridge scored two minutes in for Nashville’s first goal. Diego Rossi countered to make it 1-1 in the 69th minute when his right-footed shot from the middle of the box found its way to the net’s lower left.

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