The start of the second half saw no changes for either side with both teams desperate to claim the game’s next goal.
City were inches from going ahead after a well-worked team move culminated in Santiago Rodríguez sliding Hannes Wolf in, but the Austrian could not bring the ball under his spell.
Columbus would claim the lead in the 58th minute after Rossi found Max Arfsten in behind on the left and he converted.
Cushing made three changes in the wake of that goal with Mounsef Barkar, Maxi Moralez, and Christian McFarlane coming on for Martínez, Kevin O’Toole, and Agustín Ojeda.
The substitutes had swung things back in City’s favor and in the 68th minute a brilliant cross from Tayvon Gray found Mounsef Bakrar free in the area, but he could not find the target.
City were knocking at the door and some well-time pressure from Keaton Parks allowed him to regain the ball and play in Rodríguez from a tight angle, but he could not keep his shot down.
A final change for City saw Julián Fernández replace Hannes Wolf in the 73rd minute.
City would be rewarded with an equalizer in the 86th minute after a blistering counterattack involving Fernández and Bakrar was finished by the latter with a ferocious effort.
Unfortunately, there would be heartbreak for City in stoppage time after DeJuan Jones put Columbus back in front. City were reduced to ten men in the wake of that goal after Fernández was dismissed for dissent.
A fourth Columbus goal would arrive before full-time after Jacen Russell-Rowe pounced on a rebound to convert from close range – the final score on the night confirming a 4-2 defeat for City.