Columbus Crew's Henrik Rydstrom suggests lowering expectations after latest loss

And that was before losing to the Red Bulls.

May 13, 2026; Harrison, New Jersey, USA; Red Bull New York forward Julian Hall (16) celebrates with teammates after scoring his third goal of the game against Columbus Crew during the second half at Sports Illustrated Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

Columbus Crew fall short against New York Red Bulls in familiar ways

Despite a better overall effort than how they started a 3-0 loss to New York City FC on May 10 at Yankee Stadium, the Crew lost to New York’s charter MLS club in Harrison, New Jersey due to afflictions they’ve yet to sort out.

Another skilled forward, 18-year old Justin Hall, torched the Crew’s box defense so thoroughly that billowing pillars of black-and-gold smoke could probably be seen from Connecticut. Hall, a gifted teenage striker, scored all three of his goals with one-touch shots near the Crew’s goal line.

He made MLS history as the youngest player to ever notch a hat trick, and was the second striker in a row to get a hat trick against the Crew, following NYCFC’s Hannes Wolf. The Crew did battle from behind to tie the match twice, 1-1 in the first half and 2-2 in the second, but they allowed Hall’s winner off a scramble that followed yet another nightmarish set piece.

Rydstrom was asked if he's familiar with the term, "When it rains, it pours."

He is now.

“I haven't heard that kind of saying before," Rydstrom said, "but maybe it feels like that.”

It does, especially after watching New York's winning goal off yet another set piece disaster. A corner lob led to a clean header that sent the ball into a gaggle of bodies, and Hall cleaned up the loose change. It was the fourth goal the Crew have conceded off a set piece in the past three games, and they also struggled defending quick transitions again.

Playing with rookie defender Owen Presthus making his MLS debut in place of injured defender Malte Amundsen [hamstring], the Crew struggled defending vertical attacks, and Hall was a massive problem. He ran past the Crew’s defense for dangerous looks most of the game, and could've scored four goals had it not been for Crew keeper Patrick Schulte’s save in the second half off a wide open look in the box.

“I think tonight you saw, obviously, an up-and-coming player in the league,” Crew captain/center back Sean Zawadzki said. “His movement is really good for his age. His blind side runs off the back shoulder, there’s times, like, I don’t know he’s coming. He’s just in the right space, the right spot at the right time, and it’s a one-touch finish. And I think that you saw that every time.”

May 13, 2026; Harrison, New Jersey, USA; Columbus Crew midfielder Hugo Picard (30) dribbles the ball against Red Bull New York during the first half at Sports Illustrated Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images

Columbus Crew scuffling without elite striker

That’s exactly what the Crew is lacking right now.

Cucho Hernandez, their former star who’s scoring beautiful goals in Spain, isn’t walking into their locker room anytime soon. Lucas Zelarayan is also long gone, and gifted striker Wessam Abou Ali is now getting around by wheelchair and crutches following ACL surgery.

Speedy forward Jamal Thiaré missed his third straight game with a lower leg injury and Rydstrom opted to rest forward Diego Rossi to start out against the Red Bulls due to the struggling Crew’s crammed upcoming schedule.

Rossi subbed into the game in the second half, tying it 2-2 on a penalty kick, but Rydstrom’s analysis of the Crew’s biggest issue remains spot on. They no longer have an elite striker, and that’s a massive dilemma for the front office to resolve. Next up is another road match May 16 at the Philadelphia Union, who also lost May 13 and sit last in the Eastern Conference

“We’re going to have a training (May 14), and then we go to Philadelphia,” Rydstrom said. “Then it will be a good game [May 19]. I think they lost at the end of [their] game, so it will be two wounded animals that play against each other.”

Blue Jackets reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at bhedger@dispatch.com and @BrianHedger.bsky.social

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Crew coach Henrik Rydstrom suggests lowering expectations