A night of firsts for Tarun ☝️ Tarun Karumanchi makes his Crew and MLS debut, starting tonight against NYCFC 😤 https:// Via @ColumbusCrew on X

What happened: The 23-year-old is making his first top-flight appearance on Thursday night in a home match against New York City FC. He earns the nod in the midfield after spending the first half of the year in MLS NEXT Pro.

Why it matters: Karumanchi signed with Columbus Crew 2 in March following his selection at No. 49 overall in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft out of UCLA. The promotion provides the senior squad with fresh defensive coverage during the second half of the campaign.

What to watch: The match between the Crew and New York City FC is currently in progress, with the score tied at 0-0.

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