The Columbus Crew opened the 2021 season the way 2020 ended with offense and defense both clicking at a high level. The Black & Gold thrashed Real Estel 4-0 in Nicaragua in the first leg of the Round of 16 in the CONCACAF Champions League to begin the new campaign and all seemed right in the world.
But then the Crew struggled to score in Leg 2, getting just a 1-0 win against a side that different offer much resistance. In fairness, head coach Caleb Porter deployed a largely reserve lineup with eight changes from the first leg, including three players making their debut for the club, two of which had never played in a professional game before.