'We can be limitless': The impact of Columbus Crew's journey to Champions Cup final
PACHUCA, Mexico − The road to the CONCACAF Champions Cup final was never going to be easy for the Crew.
Playing against Liga MX clubs from the quarterfinals of the tournament and beyond, the Crew had to defeat the 2020 Champions Cup winner Tigres and the 2021 winner CF Monterrey back-to-back to advance to the final. And getting past Tigres in the quarterfinals required a penalty shootout road victory.
"I knew they were able to do it," Crew coach Wilfried Nancy said . "Because we did it, it was a fact and they realized, 'Yeah, we can do it. We can be limitless.' "
The Crew became the first MLS club to knock out a Liga MX club on Mexican soil in penalty kicks. From there, the Crew outscored Monterrey 5-2 in aggregate goals, putting them in a club-first Champions Cup final on Saturday against one last Liga MX opponent, CF Pachuca, in Pachuca, Mexico.
Out of the three Mexican clubs the Crew will have faced in the tournament, Pachuca has had the most Champions Cup success, winning five titles, its most recent being 2017. Pachuca has never lost in a final.
"Going away to Tigres and Monterrey, those are both historic clubs in Mexico as well," said Crew midfielder Aidan Morris. "But I think regardless of where we go and who we play against, our mentality is always the same. It's just focus on ourselves, and I think when we do that it ends up leading to success. So, we're excited to play against Pachuca. They've obviously got talent. We've got talent, too."
What to expect from CF Pachuca vs Columbus Crew
While the road to the final was difficult for the Crew, they managed to make it with a considerably low goal total, recording nine across six matches. Pachuca scored 16 goals since entering the tournament in the round of 16.
After a scoreless tournament-opening first leg against the Philadelphia Union, Pachuca advanced the quarterfinals by defeating the Union 6-0 in the second leg.
Pachuca outscored its second opponent, the Costan Rican club C.S. Herediano, 7-2 in the quarterfinals and earned a spot in the final when it knocked out Club America in the semifinals with a 3-2 aggregate score.
"They can be really aggressive," Nancy said. "They can score goals also, quickly. They are good in offensive transition, and we are able to compete against that because we have a different style of play. So, it's going to be interesting to see that."
Leading the way for Pachuca has been striker Salomon Rondon, who has scored a tournament-leading seven goals in six matches. The Crew will have their own striker, Cucho Hernandez, available for the final after missing three matches due to a back injury.
Despite the injury, Hernandez was able to participate in altitude training in the past two weeks. Pachuca is nearly 8,000 feet above sea, and the Crew prepared as best they could to play in an unfamiliar atmosphere.
More: Why Columbus Crew took part in altitude training ahead of Champions Cup final in Pachuca
Pachuca will have the high-altitude environment and most of the sellout crowd in its corner, and the club has also been able to rest since its final Liga MX match of the season on May 11. The Crew have played three matches since then.
"It’s a final," Nancy said. "When you play a final, what I’ve learned is the human being, when they’re tired, they can push 20-30% more if he wants to do it. So, for us, it doesn’t change anything."
Since the victory over Tigres, the Crew's confidence in the tournament has significantly improved according to Nancy, evidenced by the Monterrey series.
The Crew also have a very recent memory of what it feels like to finish a final as champions, winning the 2023 MLS Cup, which is fueling their desire win another title in less than a year.
"This is why we play the sport, is for moments like these," said Crew goalkeeper Patrick Schulte. "This group is very tight. We're all one group in the locker room, and to be able to celebrate and to be able to have these moments as a team is why you play and what you dream about as a little kid."
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: How Columbus Crew have made it to Champions Cup final vs CF Pachuca
