Crew top LAFC for franchise’s third MLS Cup

COLUMBUS — Just three short years after claiming their second MLS Cup in front of only 1,500 people, the Crew are champions once again.

In front of a record-breaking crowd of 20,802 at Lower. com Field, the Crew defeated the 2022 MLS Cup winners, Los Angeles FC, 2-1 for the third championship in club history.

From the start of the match, the Crew played their own game, protecting themselves from LAFC’s counterattack. Columbus was careful when in control of the ball, stopping passes right away to avoid turnovers.

As expected, the Crew dominated LAFC with over 68% possession in the first half. When in possession of the ball, the Crew kept moving up field, and had some opportunities with shots on goal that were slightly off.

The Crew’s ability to keep pushing towards the box finally paid off in the 33rd minute when a handball from LAFC’s Diego Palacios in the penalty area set up a Cucho Hernandez penalty kick. As LAFC goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau went right, Hernandez, who was named the game’s MVP, sent the ball toward the left post and found the back of the net, giving the Crew an early 1-0 lead.

Following the Crew’s first goal of the game, the rain started coming down and it would be on and off throughout the whole match.

This had little effect on the Crew’s game, and with the rain continuing to fall Malte Amundsen found Yaw Yeboah with a pass from halfway up the field. Yeboah, who had been running up the left side looking for something to land at his feet all match, was able to collect the ball and tap a pass to Crepeau to put the Crew ahead 2-0 in the 37th minute.

Coming out after halftime, things got dirty as some rough hits from LAFC led to the visiting team receiving two yellow cards early in the second half. A little over 10 minutes into the second half, Crew goalkeeper Patrick Schulte made a big save with a shot on goal for LAFC coming from Carlos Vela. Up until that point, Schulte had only faced one attempt in the first half.

In the 74th minute of the match, Denis Bouanga had an attempt that Schulte saved off his face, but Bouanga was able to follow his shot and got the ball past the Crew’s goalkeeper for LAFC’s first goal of the night.