Columbia Dominates Manhattan with 2-0 Victory
RIVERDALE, N.Y. — Columbia didn’t just edge past Manhattan at Gaelic Park. It grew into the game, absorbed the early punches, then finished with authority.
Second-half goals from Ethan Heyward and Stepan Kapranov delivered a 2-0 win on Saturday afternoon, sealing back-to-back victories and clean sheets for the Lions, who move to 2-1-1 on the season. The result also extends Columbia’s dominance in this matchup to 11-1-3 all-time against the Jaspers and gives the program consecutive road wins for the first time since 2018.
Taki stands tall, Columbia bends but doesn’t break
Manhattan came out sharper. The Jaspers pressed, snapped into tackles, and forced Columbia onto the back foot in the opening half. When chances arrived, Aris Taki was ready.
The sophomore goalkeeper had to be sharp in a busy spell around the half-hour mark. In the 29th and 33rd minutes, he denied Cristiano Marsilii on back-to-back efforts, then pushed aside a strike from Giovanni Rivera in the 36th to keep the game locked at 0-0.
By halftime, Manhattan had the better looks. Columbia had the clean sheet.
Heyward pounces, deadlock broken
The game flipped after the break.
Columbia emerged with more intent and control, pinning Manhattan deeper and turning possession into pressure. The breakthrough finally came in the 58th minute from a set piece that the Lions simply refused to waste.
Jack McDaid swung in a corner to the far post, where first-year Joshua Sosa rose to meet it. His header crashed off the woodwork, but the rebound dropped into a dangerous area. Heyward reacted first, pouncing to stab home and put Columbia up 1-0.
It was Heyward’s third goal of the season, pulling him level with McDaid for the team lead and rewarding a more assertive second-half performance from the visitors.
Kapranov caps it with style
Once ahead, Columbia didn’t sit on the lead. The Lions kept attacking, outshooting Manhattan 10-3 over the final 45 minutes. Oli Sacks and Jackson ten Oever both forced saves from substitute goalkeeper Philip Isaksson, who came on for the Jaspers at halftime.
The pressure told again in the 78th minute, and this time the goal was all about movement and touch.
From the middle of the pitch, Luke Zielinski slipped a ball into Kapranov, positioned about 10 yards outside the box with his back to goal. Kapranov cushioned a clever one-touch flick into the path of Fadel Kone, then immediately spun into space. Kone returned the favor with a simple tap back on the give-and-go, springing Kapranov clean through.
One touch to steady, one finish into the top-right corner. 2-0, and the game was effectively done.
Road form rising, Temple up next
Taki finished with four saves, securing his second career victory and a second straight shutout in as many starts. Columbia’s defense, tested early, shut the door late. Its attack, quiet in the first half, dictated the second.
The Lions now close out their three-game road swing on Tuesday at Temple (0-4-2), with kickoff at 4 p.m. in Philadelphia. With confidence growing and the back line locked in, the question is no longer whether Columbia can win on the road.
It’s how far this form can carry them once the stakes rise.
