Major League Soccer overall leader FC Cincinnati was blanked 3-0 on the road by arch-rival Columbus on Sunday as the North American circuit resumed its 2023 regular season.
MLS took a mid-season pause for the inaugural Leagues Cup involving MLS and Mexican League clubs, with Lionel Messi leading Inter Miami to victory over Nashville in the final on Saturday.
Cincinnati's return to competition after 16 days off was spoiled by host Columbus in the latest bout of the Ohio rivalry nicknamed the "Hell is Real" derby.
Aidan Morris opened the scoring for Columbus in the 15th minute, the 21-year-old US midfielder scorching a right-footed shot high into the right corner of the goal.
The Crew made it 2-0 on a penalty kick in the 23rd minute by Colombian forward Cucho Hernandez, who calmly flicked the ball into the right side as Cincinnati goalkeeper Roman Celentano dove left.
Columbus boosted the final margin six minutes into second half stoppage time on a goal by Canadian reserve striker Jacen Russell-Rowe.
Cincinnati still owns the best record in MLS at 15-3 with six drawn for 51 points to sit atop the Eastern Conference while Columbus jumped from sixth to fourth in the East, 12 points adrift with 11 wins and six draws from 24 matches.
The Crew improved to 6-2 with four drawn in the overall rivalry with Cincinnati.
In a Canadian MLS derby, Canadian midfielder Mathieu Choiniere scored two goals to give Montreal a 3-2 triumph at 10-man Toronto.
The visitors grabbed a 2-0 half-time edge as Choiniere scored in the 18th minute and Montreal benefitted from an own goal by Zambian defender Aime Mabika of Toronto in the 25th minute.
Italian forward Federico Bernardeschi put Toronto on the scoreboard in the 66th minute but Italian defender Raoul Petretta of Toronto was issued a red card in the 77th minute. Choiniere responded with a penalty-kick goal in the 79th minute.
Bernardeschi netted a final goal for Toronto four minutes into stoppage time but it was too little, too late. Montreal jumped into eighth in the East, seizing a playoff position for the moment.
In another Sunday match, US defender John Tolkin's goal in the 88th minute lifted the New York Red Bulls over visiting DC United 1-0.
Minnesota grabbed a 2-0 victory at New York City FC, the Loons getting the crucial goal in the 53rd minute from Slovakian reserve midfielder Jan Gregus, who returned to Minnesota in a trade deal with Nashville earlier this month after starting his MLS career there in 2019.
Colombian striker Mender Garcia netted Minnesota's final goal five minutes into stoppage time to seal the victory.
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