Late red card saw Columbus clinging to its one-goal advantage but lose three points in final minute.
Columbus Crew SC squandered a tenuous one-goal lead, conceding visiting Eastern Conference rival's lone score just before second-half stoppage time kicked in on Saturday night, in what would end up a 1-1 draw.
Columbus flirted with what might have been, until substitute Fabian Espindola's 89th minute equalizer dashed the host's hopes late. It would have been a much-needed result with the Black & Gold's winless streak spanning seven league matches, back to May 28.
In stark contrast with the sloppy play fielded versus a Toronto FC side that notably lacked offensive star power on Wednesday, Columbus attacked more coherently, if slowly in the July heat.