Ghana defender Jonathan Mensah scores as Columbus Crew beat Atlanta United in MLS

Ghana defender Jonathan Mensah scored for Columbus Crew in their 2-1 away win over Atlanta United in the 2022 MLS regular season on Saturday.

The 31-year-old lasted the entire duration of the game as he bagged his goal of the season at the Mercedes Benz Stadium.

The Crew went 181 minutes without scoring a goal before the game but the Black & Gold didn’t let it get to 182 as Yaw Yeboah charged the Atlanta defensive penalty area, earning a corner.

Fullback Pedro Santos sent in the corner to center back Mensah, who scored a leaping header. Mensah’s second headed goal at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in 10 months.

Erik Hurtado doubled the lead before half. Dom Dwyer halved the deficit in the 91st minute but Crew held on to seal all three points.

Mensah has 13 league appearances for Columbus Crew, scored one goal and provided one assist in the process.

His compatriot Yaw Yeboah lasted 53 minutes of the game.

The duo will join the rest of the Black Stars players in Cape Coast on Monday for the upcoming 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Barea of Madagascar and Central African Republic in June.

Mensah and Yeboah were both named in coach Otto Addo’s 33-man squad for the crucial qualifiers as well as a four-nation tournament that features Japan, Chile and Tunisia as part of the build up to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 in November.