Following its loss to New York City FC on Monday, Columbus Crew SC took the drive down Interstate 71 to face in-state rival FC Cincinnati on Saturday night. It was a big evening for the Black & Gold as Lucas Zelerayan, Eloy Room and Youness Mokhtar returned to the lineup for the first time since the MLS is Back Tournament in Orlando.
Despite the fanfare surrounding its playmakers, Columbus struggled to find the back of the net en route to a 0-0 draw in the Hell is Real Derby.
Here are some of the takeaways from Saturday’s game:
Lack of offense
Despite many of the playmakers returning to the lineup, the Black & Gold offense looked unimaginative in its buildup.