Gyasi Zardes scores as Columbus Crew draw with NY Red Bulls

The Columbus Crew extended their unbeaten streak to nine games following a 1-1 tie with the visiting New York Red Bulls at Mapfre Stadium on Saturday.

Columbus has four wins and five ties, including draws in the past three matches, since an April 14 loss to D.C. United, while New York has two draws and a loss since four-game winning streak.

Gyasi Zardes put Columbus ahead in the 26th minute; Alex Muyl tied the score in the 57th.

The Crew controlled the first 45 minutes, but the match tilted toward the Red Bulls early in the second half due to pressure on the ball. New York scored its sixth goal of the season from a set piece, second-most in MLS, when Muyl got his head on a free kick by Marc Rzatkowski for his second score of the season.

Zardes, who ranks second in MLS with 10 goals after scoring just two for the LA Galaxy last season, scored with a header off a cross from deep on the right side by Harrison Afful.

The Red Bulls were fortunate to be down only a goal at the break. Pedro Santos hit the crossbar with a free kick in the 15th minute, and Zardes missed scoring his second of the match by inches when his header off a corner kick by Federico Higuain also went off the pipe in first-half stoppage time.

New York goalkeeper Luis Robles, who missed the past three games with a knee injury to snap his MLS-record 183 consecutive starts, made all of five of his saves in the opening half.

Crew starting goalkeeper Zack Steffen was absent because he was overseas making seven saves for the United States in a 1-1 draw with France earlier in the day. Backup Jon Kempin made three saves.