The Columbus Crew beat Los Angeles FC 2-1 this Saturday and won their third title in the North American League, MLS. At Lower.com Field, the champions opened the scoring with a goal from Colombian Juan Camilo Cucho Hernández, converting a penalty in the 33rd minute, and Ghanaian Yaw Yeboah doubled the lead in the 37th minute. Gabonese Denis Bouanga reduced the score to second. half for the runners-up.
LAFC failed to retain their title, a feat only three MLS franchises have managed to achieve, in what was arguably the farewell match for their iconic captain Carlos Vela and Italian veteran Giorgio Chiellini.
Columbus, led by little-known French coach Wilfried Nancy, dominated the match for long periods, while Steve Cherundolo’s LAFC failed to benefit from its usual counterattacking play.
HUGE WIN. 🏆@COLUMBUSCREW I AM #MLSCUP CHAMPIONS! pic.twitter.com/j0FJKOphUU
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) December 9, 2023
Nancy, who won his first major coaching title in his first season with Columbus, said his team improved throughout the season.
“They’ve grown a lot as players and as people. When we started, I told them ‘Guys, impossible is an opinion,’ have fun and let’s grow. And that’s what happened. It’s incredible,” he said. “We played our way. I’m very proud,” she added.
After triumphs in 2008 and 2020, the Columbus Crew became champions of the MLS, in the year in which the spotlight of the world of football turned to this championship with the arrival of Lionel Messi in July. Despite leading Inter Miami to the League Cup title, the Argentine star only played six games in the competition and did not have time to take his team to the playoffs.
Columbus, which missed the playoffs last year, has enjoyed a resurgence this season thanks to Cucho Hernández and his strike partner, Uruguayan Diego Rossi, a former LAFC player.
“It was a little difficult for me and my family to come from England to the United States. This means that all the efforts and decisions we made were right. Now I want to enjoy it,” he said Apple TV the striker Pereira, for whom Columbus paid 10 million dollars (R$ 49 million at the current price) in 2022 to the English Watford.
The game
After a frenetic start in front of a raucous crowd that filled the 20,802-seat stadium, Columbus quickly adapted to a possession game thanks to the calming influence of veteran midfielder Darlington Nagbe.
The home team’s dominance paid off in an action in the area in which Rossi tried to control a ball which then bounced off the chest of Ecuadorian defender Diego Palacios and touched his arm. The referee awarded the penalty and Cucho Hernández made it 1-0 by deceiving Canadian goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau.
While LAFC was still trying to recover from the blow, Danish defender Malte Amundsen surprised the Los Angeles team’s defense with a shot to Yaw Yeboah, who scored in front of Crépeau with a beautiful shot.
The visitors added excitement to the final stretch by scoring through Gabonese Denis Bouanga, the MLS top scorer of the year. Colombian defender Jesús Murillo stole the ball from Rossi and reached the area, where he crossed for Carlos Vela. The Mexican fails to finish and the ball falls to the far post for Bouanga, who beats goalkeeper Patrick Schulte. The goal gave LAFC hope, but to the delight of local fans, the score never changed.
Source: Terra
Rose James is a Gossipify movie and series reviewer known for her in-depth analysis and unique perspective on the latest releases. With a background in film studies, she provides engaging and informative reviews, and keeps readers up to date with industry trends and emerging talents.
