The Major League Soccer champions, defending a 2-1 lead from last week's first leg in Ohio, advanced to the final thanks to goals from Aidan Morris, Diego Rossi and Jacen Russell-Rowe at Monterrey's 53,000-capacity Estadio BBVA. Monterrey, chasing a sixth CONCACAF Champions Cup crown, had a dream start when Columbus defender Yevhen Cheberko scored an own goal after 11 minutes.

Monterrey's Maximiliano Meza sprang Columbus's offside trap and lifted his finish over advancing goalkeeper Patrick Schulte. The ball bounced back off the crossbar and was bundled into the net by Cheberko as he scrambled back to clear the danger. That left Monterrey leading on away goals with the tie 2-2 on aggregate, and for much of the first half it seemed as if the Mexican side would add to their tally.

Instead, Crew were gifted a route back into the game deep into first-half stoppage time after a howler from Monterrey goalkeeper Esteban Andrada. Andrada dithered as he looked to throw the ball out from the edge of the area. But his attempt was intercepted by the alert Morris, who darted forward and shot past the out-of-position Andrada to make it 1-1.

It got better for Columbus soon after half-time when Uruguayan striker Rossi fired them into the lead on 49 minutes. Alexandru Matan, who had replaced Marino Hinestroza at half-time, surged forward from midfield and slipped a pass to Rossi who finished with aplomb into the bottom corner.

That put Columbus 2-1 up on the night, 4-2 on aggregate, meaning Monterrey would need to score three times. Monterrey pressed forward frantically but Columbus held firm and substitute Russell-Rowe applied the coup de grace in the 89th minute. Columbus had a chance to make it 4-1 in stoppage time but Christian Ramirez's penalty was saved by Andrada.

Crew will face Mexican club Pachuca in next month's final. The winner of this year's tournament will earn a place at next year's expanded FIFA Club World Cup which will see 32 teams compete at the finals in the United States. Columbus are attempting to become only the fourth MLS team to be crowned champions of North America, Central America and the Caribbean after D.C. United (1998), Los Angeles Galaxy (2000) and Seattle Sounders (2022).

May 2, 2024

Y. Cheberko

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