COLUMBUS, Ohio — Max Arfsten had a goal and two assists and Dylan Chambost scored a first-half goal on Sunday night to help the Columbus Crew avoid elimination from the MLS Cup playoffs and beat FC Cincinnati 4-0 in Game 2 of the best-of-three first-round series.

The series returns to TQL Stadium, where Cincinnati won the opener 1-0, for Game 3 on Saturday. The winner advances to the one-game Eastern Conference semifinals against No.3 seed Miami or sixth-seeded Nashville.

Jacen Russell-Rowe, who replaced Diego Rossi in the 61st minute, fed Andrés Herrera for a goal in the 65th and added a his first career playoff goal in the 69th.

Arfsten opened the scoring in the 33rd minute. Rossi, on the counter-attack, won a loose from defender Alvas Powell at the edge of the 18-yard box and poked i

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