The Columbus Crew were on the road Saturday, taking on the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park. Hugo Picard got the Black & Gold on the board first with a driving kick from outside the 18 in the 11th minute. The Union tied things in the second half and that’s where the contest ended. Here are our three takeaways from Saturday’s match:

1.    The Crew were lucky to come out with a draw Saturday. Philadelphia was on the attack for almost the entirety of the second half. After managing just one shot in the first half, Philly recorded 11 in the second half. The Black & Gold took three in each 45. Picard’s early goal was a thing of beauty, but the Crew couldn’t manage a consistent attack after that. Both teams ended losing streaks – Columbus 3 games, Philadelphia 2 games.

2.   Mo Farsi was in the Crew starting lineup for the first time since July 2025. What did it mean? “I‘m really happy with what he gave us,” said head coach Henrik Rydström after the match. “Don’t forget about his energy, his body language and his way of being as a person. We have missed that.” Farsi added, “Physically I felt good. Before the game, I didn’t know how long I could go but surprisingly even after I got subbed off, I was still feeling good. But it’s better to not take any risks.”

3.   Columbus was able to salvage a point on their East Coast three-match swing. After falling to New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls in the last week, the draw in Philly was a moral victory. Two more matches this upcoming week before the World Cup break in June an July. If the Black & Gold are going to be successful after their time off, they’ll need to find a way to put the ball in the net. Just too much pressure on the defense without an effective counterattack strategy.