COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Gyasi Zardes and Pedro Santos scored and the Columbus Crew overcame a two-goal deficit to tie FC Cincinnati 2-2 on Saturday night in the first regular-season game between the in-state rivals.
Columbus (7-14-5) is unbeaten in its last five games.
Santos ripped a rising left-footer from 30 yards out past the outstretched arms of goalkeeper Przemyslaw Tyton to tie it in the 62nd minute.
Darren Mattocks headed home a corner kick from Victor Ulloa in the 16th and Emmanuel Ledesma side-netted a finish in the 23rd minute to give Cincinnati a 2-0 lead. Roland Lamah played a cross from the left flank that slipped through three defenders in the area to Ledesma who patiently trapped it before blasting a right-footer.
Gyasi Zardes drew a foul, conceded by Maikel van der Werff, in the penalty area and converted from the spot in the 45th to make it 2-1 at halftime.
Expansion FC Cincinnati (5-17-3) is winless, with four losses, in its last five.
Columbus missed two on two chances in the closing minutes. Youness Mokhtar played a low cross through the area but Zardes missed high in the 90th minute, and David Accam banged a right-footer off the crossbar in the third minute of stoppage time.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.