Cupps makes Chicago history as Crew storm top of Eastern Conference

The Columbus Crew stormed to the Eastern Conference acme arsenic Christopher Cupps made MLS past for the Chicago Fire connected Sunday.

A 4-2 triumph implicit Charlotte FC made it 5 victories successful the Crew’s past six matches to instrumentality sole possession of archetypal spot successful the East standings.

Dylan Chambost and a Diego Rossi punishment sent Columbus into a 2-0 pb earlier Wilfried Zaha reduced the arrears connected the changeable of half-time with a spot-kick of his own.

Aziel Jackson restored the Crew’s two-goal buffer earlier Liel Abada deed back, lone for Jacen Russell-Rowe to seal the triumph with 9 minutes remaining.

“I’m blessed that we did good and I’m blessed with the commencement we had since the opening of the season,” Crew caput manager Wilfried Nancy said aft the game.

“We had a bully archetypal half, but the past 2 oregon 3 minutes, wherever we conceded the archetypal goal. After that, the radical stayed calm and addressed definite things.

“They raised the strength mentally and and they were capable to enactment connected task and people the 2nd goal.”

Came retired connected apical #Crew96 | #CLBvCLT pic.twitter.com/cCu1ZVXqcy

— The Crew (@ColumbusCrew) May 4, 2025

Charlotte had not conceded 4 goals successful an MLS crippled since June 2023, erstwhile they mislaid by the aforesaid scoreline to the Crew.

“The information that we are capable to play arsenic a team, we are capable to person an borderline connected them,” Nancy added. “We’ll see, we’re gonna play them successful 3 weeks.”

There was besides a portion of past elsewhere for the Fire arsenic homegrown defender Cupps, aged 16 years and 342 days, became the youngest starter successful nine history.

The teen helped Chicago to a goalless gully with Orlando City SC, contempt Fire goalkeeper Chris Brady getting sent disconnected 9 minutes earlier the interval for a last-man foul connected Duncan McGuire.

“How galore questions truthful far? Four questions from you guys, and we haven’t talked astir Chris Cupps starting astatine centre-back astatine 16 years old? I mean, travel on,” manager Gregg Berhalter joked to reporters.

“What are you guys doing? That has to beryllium the archetypal question! How galore centre-backs commencement astatine 16 years aged and get a shutout down a man?”

Held connected for a constituent astatine location #cf97 pic.twitter.com/VBdyx70Jr8

— Chicago Fire FC (@ChicagoFire) May 4, 2025

The Fire constricted Orlando to conscionable 2 shots connected people against backup goalkeeper Jeffrey Gal, who kept a cleanable expanse successful his MLS debut, portion Cupps impressed with a game-leading 12 clearances.

“We gotta speech astir him [Cupps], we person to speech astir his show and his bravery,” Berhalter said. “Think astir a young subordinate coming successful aft losing 7-2 and the unit connected him to perform.

“And the mode helium performed contiguous was not perfect, but successful my caput it was outstanding. It was a large starting debut successful beforehand of the location fans.”

Cupps whitethorn spot much starting clip going forward, fixed that the Fire are struggling done a six-game winless streak.

“When you springiness up 10 goals successful 2 games, fundamentally everyone’s occupation is successful jeopardy, right?” Berhalter added. “So erstwhile you look astatine the backline, nary one’s safe. You person to look to marque changes.”