Columbus Crew defeat CF Monterrey 3-1 to advance to Champions Cup final: 2 takeaways
With every challenge the Crew have encountered since the beginning of the MLS Cup playoffs last year, Columbus has shocked the soccer world by coming out on top.
It was the case when the Crew defeated Los Angeles FC for their third MLS Cup trophy, when they secured their first trip to the Champions Cup semifinals in penalty kicks on Tigres' home field and now as Columbus advances to the final after winning its series against CF Monterrey with a 5-2 aggregate score following a 3-1 second leg victory.
Going into the second leg on Wednesday at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, Mexico, the Crew knew they could not rely on their 2-1 edge from the first leg on April 24. Monterrey had the away-goal advantage to break a potential tie.
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"Difficult opponent, difficult environment," said Crew coach Wilfried Nancy following the second leg. "But the idea is to be limitless."
Monterrey's early goal in the first half evened the aggregate 2-2, and Monterrey appeared to be in control. But less than a minute before halftime, Crew midfielder Aidan Morris scored for Columbus and broke the game wide open.
In the second half, forward Diego Rossi quickly gave Columbus a 2-1 match advantage, and once Jacen Russell-Rowe scored the final goal of the night in the 87th minute, Nancy could be seen on the television broadcast having a rare in-game celebration.
"When Jacen scored, I realized it was done," Nancy said. "That's why emotionally, it was really high and this was a really good moment. We have to enjoy this moment."
Replay: Columbus Crew advance to Champions Cup final following 3-1 victory vs CF Monterrey
The Crew will now face CF Pachuca in a one-match final in Pachuca, Mexico, marking the fourth Liga MX opponent Columbus will face during Nancy's two season-tenue with the club so far. The championship, originally scheduled for June 2, will be moved in the coming days in order to accommodate the Mexican general election.
Here are the top takeaways from the second leg match:
Aidan Morris scoring for the Crew before halftime was a game changer
The Crew lacked momentum for a majority of the first half.
Monterrey got on the board early when Maxmiliano Meza sent a close-range shot towards Columbus' goal that goalkeeper Patrick Schulte failed to contest, and defender Yevhen Cheberko would end up hitting over the goal line for an own goal in the 11th minute.
The Crew were already struggling for opportunities before that happened, recording two shots with none on goal to that point.
"We had difficult moments," Nancy said, "but we knew that, and the idea was to stay together, and when we have the opportunity to score the goal, to do it."
In the third minute of the announced four minutes of first half stoppage time, Monterrey goalkeeper Esteban Andrada made a costly error when clearing the ball out of his box. Instead of sending it far down the field, Andrada opted for a short, underhand pass that was intercepted by Morris, who was able to find a shot through two Monterrey defenders after a few dribbles and tied the match 1-1.
Coming out of halftime with an aggregate lead, the Crew had a fire under them.
It took Rossi less than five minutes to capitalize, scoring off a pass from Alex Matan, who was a halftime substitution.
"The idea in the second half was to change some things," Nancy said. "Yes, we scored before the end of the first half, but I really liked the fact they were able to adjust tactically."
Columbus Crew are building an unmatched track record vs Liga MX teams in 2024
When the Crew defeated Tigres in penalty kicks to advance to the Champions Cup semifinals, they made tournament history as the first MLS team to advance over a Liga MX opponent after failing to win its home leg and the first MLS team to defeat a Liga MX team in PKs on Mexican soil.
Wednesday also marked the first time the Crew left Estadio BBVA with a win. When Columbus came to Monterrey in 2021 in the Champions Cup quarterfinals, the Crew fell 3-0, and Monterrey went on to win its fifth Champions Cup title.
"Not an easy place to come and play," said Crew captain Darlington Nagbe, who started in the 2021 matchup. "It's a performance that wasn’t perfect at times, but to go down 1-0 and find a way to win the game away from home against a good team, it's a good performance."
Under Nancy, Columbus has also faced Club America from Liga MX and won. The Crew defeated that squad 4-1 in 2023 Leagues Cup play.
Liga MX has dominated in Champions Cup play, so what Columbus has been able to do is considered an impressive feat.
"We know where we come from," Nancy said. "It’s an honor to make the final. The idea is to create memories for our city and for our fans, and this is what we are doing, I’m really proud of that. Now, the idea is to try to win it."
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Takeaways: Columbus Crew advance to CONCACAF Champions Cup final
