Laurent Courtois finished his first week as Crew interim coach with two wins and a sense of relief.
Coming off a 1-0 victory over New York City FC in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals four days earlier, the Crew defeated Atlanta United 2-0 at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field on May 24 in their final game before the FIFA World Cup break.
“The guys were able to show who they are, and we got on the same page on a few aspects of the game,” Courtois said. “They were bought in, they executed and we also learned to suffer, too, like in the second half, and we were ready to take that challenge. I can’t be more pleased.”
The Crew opened against Atlanta with six missed shots throughout 20 minutes. At the 24-minute mark, their consistent attack paid off, with midfielder Sekou Bangoura scoring in transition to put Columbus ahead 1-0. The goal was the 24-year-old’s first since joining the Crew in January.
Forward Diego Rossi scored his team-leading sixth goal of the season 23 minutes later in first-half stoppage time to make it 2-0.
Despite 12 second-half shot attempts from Atlanta, the Crew recorded their fifth clean sheet of 2026 and their third win after starting the second half with a lead.
“We were comfortable,” Crew midfielder Max Arfsten said. “We were flowing in our movements. We dominated and controlled the game, the entire game, in my opinion. It kind of felt like the Crew of old. We dominated the games, created a lot of chances.”
Under coach Henrik Rydstrom, who was fired May 17, the Crew conceded seven second-half leads, resulting in a 3-4-7 regular-season record.
The victory makes Courtois the first Crew coach to earn a win in his first regular-season game since Gregg Berhalter in 2014.
Backline leads Columbus Crew to back-to-back clean sheets
In the two games under Courtois, the Crew have reverted to playing with three defenders on the backline, as they did during the Wilfried Nancy era from 2023 to 2025.
Along with two shutouts, the Crew defense has helped account for 11 blocked shots.
Goalkeepers Nicholas Hagen and Patrick Schulte faced a combined two shots on goal during this stretch, marking the fewest number of shots on target the Crew have allowed in back-to-back games since July 2025.
“Everyone was playing in their real position,” Crew defender Steven Moreira said. “[That brings] just fluidity, and joy. Even the fans, we can tell with the atmosphere, they really enjoy too. … It’s just joy, playing free and enjoying, that’s it.”
Mo Farsi proves to be impactful since returning from injury
Crew midfielder Mo Farsi logged his longest game of the season, playing 78 minutes as a starter and assisting on both goals.
On April 25, Farsi returned to action after being sidelined for more than nine months with a sports hernia. The 26-year-old had been a key factor for the Crew since making his first-team debut in 2022, recording 23 goal contributions in 89 regular-season games.
While Farsi feels he’s still working toward being 100% physically, having him back has added familiarity for the rest of the lineup.
“He’s a smart player,” Arfsten said. “He’s very deceptive with the way he plays, and it’s nice that he’s back because I think it adds something different to our attack. … With him being on the left and me on the right, it just feels natural.”
Columbus Crew enter must-needed World Cup break
Though Courtois has had a strong start, the eight-week World Cup break is something he is embracing for himself and the players.
“I need that break,” Courtois said. “Fantastic timing. I’m going to visit my dad far away. We all need the break. It’s been a rough few months for everyone.”
The Crew, except for the players going to the World Cup, will train for two weeks before being given three weeks off.
Moreira is confirmed to be heading to the World Cup after being announced as a part of Cape Verde’s roster on May 17. Arfsten has reportedly made the U.S. men’s national team, which will be announced on May 26.
Going into the break, the Crew sit right outside the MLS Cup playoff picture at 10th in the Eastern Conference with 16 points (4-4-7). The Crew return to action on July 22 against New York City FC at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field.
bmackay@dispatch.com
@brimackay15
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Crew enter World Cup break on ‘the same page’ after Atlanta win: Takeaways
Reporting by Brianna Mac Kay, Columbus Dispatch / The Columbus Dispatch
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
