Columbia Lions Secure 2-0 Victory Over Manhattan

RIVERDALE, N.Y. — Columbia needed a spark. It left Gaelic Park with a statement.

Second-half goals from Ethan Heyward and Stepan Kapranov powered the Lions to a 2-0 win over Manhattan on Saturday afternoon, sealing a second straight victory and shutout and nudging a once-stuttering start into something far more promising.

The numbers tell one story. Columbia is now 11-1-3 all-time against the Jaspers and has strung together back-to-back road wins for the first time since 2018. The way this one unfolded told another.

Taki stands tall, Columbia bends but doesn’t break

Manhattan came out sharp and direct, asking questions of a back line that has started to look increasingly sure of itself. The Jaspers found their best chances in a busy 10-minute spell before the break.

Columbia goalkeeper Aris Taki had the answers.

In the 29th minute, he denied Cristiano Marsilii, then stopped the same Manhattan attacker again just four minutes later. When Giovanni Rivera stepped up in the 36th minute and let fly, Taki pushed that effort away as well, preserving a 0-0 scoreline and giving Columbia the platform it needed.

By halftime, Manhattan had the pressure. Columbia had the clean sheet. That would matter.

Heyward pounces, the deadlock breaks

The Lions came out of the locker room with more bite, more purpose. The tempo shifted. So did the match.

The breakthrough arrived in the 58th minute from a set piece. Jack McDaid swung in a corner to the far post, where first-year defender Joshua Sosa rose to meet it. His header crashed off the woodwork, but the play wasn’t done.

Heyward was.

The forward reacted first, pouncing on the rebound and burying it to put Columbia up 1-0. It was his third goal of the season, pulling him level with McDaid for the team lead and tilting the afternoon firmly in the Lions’ favor.

From there, Columbia took control. The Lions outshot Manhattan 10-3 in the second half, forcing substitute goalkeeper Philip Isaksson into action on efforts from Oli Sacks and Jackson ten Oever as the visitors turned the screws.

Kapranov finishes a flowing move

The pressure finally turned into a cushion with 12 minutes to play.

In the 78th minute, Columbia sliced through Manhattan with its sharpest move of the day. Luke Zielinski took charge in midfield and slid a pass into Kapranov, who was posted up about 10 yards outside the box, shielding his defender.

Kapranov didn’t linger on the ball. He flicked a clever one-touch pass into the path of Fadel Kone, then immediately spun into space. Kone returned it first time on the give-and-go, sending Kapranov clean through on goal.

The finish matched the move. Kapranov drove his shot into the top-right corner, a ruthless strike that sealed the 2-0 lead and any lingering doubt.

A defense finding its edge

Taki closed the day with four saves, locking down his second career win and a second straight shutout in as many starts. Around him, Columbia’s shape held, its confidence growing with every cleared cross and intercepted pass.

Two games. Two wins. Two clean sheets. And, for the first time in six years, consecutive victories away from home.

The road stretch isn’t over yet. Columbia wraps up its three-game swing on Tuesday at Temple, a winless side at 0-4-2. With momentum finally in their corner, the question now is simple: how far can these Lions push it?