Columbus Crew head coach Henrik Rydstrom has praised Nariman Akhundzade following his side’s 3-1 victory over Atlanta United, expressing confidence in the young forward’s long-term potential, Idman.Biz reports.
Akhundzade, who recently joined from Qarabag, came on in the 90th minute as Columbus secured their first win of the MLS season. Despite his limited time on the pitch, the 21-year-old received strong backing from his coach after the match.
“Nariman has just arrived from Qarabag, he is a very talented player and we see a bright future ahead of him,” Rydstrom said.
The Swedish manager also explained that he had initially planned to introduce the Azerbaijani striker earlier. However, the coaching staff opted to delay the substitution due to the strong performance of Andres Herrera, who was effective on the right flank, contributing both in attack and defence.
As a result, Akhundzade’s brief appearance was not linked to any concerns over his performance, but rather to tactical decisions shaped by the flow of the game.
Columbus Crew will now turn their attention to the next MLS fixture, where they are set to host Orlando City in the early hours of April 13, Baku time.
