COLUMBUS — 2023 marked a memorable first year for the Columbus Crew under new head coach Wilfried Nancy and it concluded with an MLS Cup triumph against the reigning league champions.
The Crew used first-half goals from Cucho Hernandez and Yaw Yeboah to seal a 2-1 MLS Cup victory over LAFC at Lower.com Field. It marked the third MLS Cup triumph and seventh overall trophy lift in Crew history.
Denis Bouanga cut the deficit for LAFC in the second half, but Steve Cherundolo’s squad were unable to score a tying goal past Patrick Schulte.
After earlier missed chances from Steven Moreira and Cucho Hernandez, the Crew boosted themselves in front after the 30-minute mark.
Hernandez’s 33rd penalty kick gave the hosts a 1-0 advantage. Diego Rossi’s flicked pass deflected off of Diego Palacios’ hand, giving referee Armando Villarreal no choice but to whistle for a hand ball.
It marked Hernandez’s 20th goal of the season in league play.
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Four minutes after grabbing the lead, the Crew would extend their advantage to 2-0. Malte Amundsen’s clever through ball pass allowed Yaw Yeboah to sneak behind Ryan Hollingshead before poking home into the back of the net.
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Carlos Vela’s volley in the 57th minute forced Patrick Schulte into his first save of the night. Rudy Camacho’s errant header almost allowed the Mexican attacker to cut the LAFC deficit, but luckily for Camacho, Vela’s shot was easily gathered by Schulte.
After added pressure from LAFC, the visitors would cut the deficit in half to 2-1 through leading-scorer Denis Bouanga. Bouanga’s scrappy finish from a tight angle gave him his 11th goal scored in his past seven appearances.
Schulte was able to punch away Bouanga’s first effort, but was unable to keep out the striker’s follow-up finish.
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LAFC made several substitutions in hope to find a tying goal, but the Crew backline stood firm for the remainder of the match.
The Crew’s title success now earns them a berth into the newly-revamped 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup. After back-to-back seasons with no playoff involvement, the Crew responded in a major way under Nancy’s tutelage.
LAFC will have plenty of roster decisions to make this offseason with star forward Carlos Vela not signed for 2024.
What are people’s thoughts on Cherundolo as a manager? If I had to pick I’d say Steve Noonan is better.
Hard to say. Can’t argue with back to back MLS cup appearances in your first two seasons as head coach. I do like what Noonan is doing. Ben Olson looks reinvigorated again. And obviously Nancy is doing really good things too.
Maybe it’s just that LAFC was in a pretty good spot when Dolo took over and Noonan took Cinci from awful to the Supporters Shield. You do have to wonder was Nancy the tactician behind Henry the manager like Jorge Low was behind Klinsmann. Obviously, Juergen and Thierry were world class players but did they really understand how to setup their squads. I guess we’ll see if Thierry can bring home the gold medal managing France.
I could agree with that assessment.
I think Henry with a little time could be a very good coach. I would love to see hom try his hand in MLS again. Red Bulls have a head coach Vacancy.
Johnny,
Cherundolo is legit, although yesterday, the second half response from his team left something to be desired. It’s important to add, Thorrington should get his due credit, too.
I give credence to the idea that Wilfred Nancy was Thierry Henry’s “Joachim Low. ” Nancy has shown some very astute tactics and his quick interview at the end of yesterday’s first half, was spot on.
On a side note, yesterday’s game was high level and both teams brought quality, as it was one of the better games played in MLS, from both sides…especially in the first half.
Thorington and Albright in Cincinnati certainly deserve a lot of credit for Cherundolo and Noonan’s success. Bezbatchenko did a great job getting Nancy the tools he needed while still selling off their best player. Thorington was either unwilling or unable to get LAFC a true striker this summer.
Cherundolo said at halftime that his team was getting bullied off the ball and weren’t competing. What I saw was the Crew simply passing circles around them, to the point where LA seemed like their heads were spinning from chasing shadows, and they couldn’t stop making silly mistakes and turning the ball over immediately after finally getting a tiny bit of possession. When the Crew are firing like they were in the first half and the second half of the semi, they look amazing. Congrats Crew!
Great win for Columbus. Love seeing LA teams in agony and lose.
Both Morris and Schulte should be on the Olympic team. I wonder if Nagbe would accept a call up to be an overage player? That would be a very good honor for a legend.
That is an interesting thought. Certainly would bring calm to the midfield.
I agree. With Morris and Nagbe in the center together would be a pretty good combo for the Olympic team.
I don’t think they’ll ask and I don’t think he’d say yes.
Hard to say. I think they will take 1 or 2 overage players. All teams do.
2tone, they’ll bring overage players I just don’t think they’ll bring a MF overage player. I expect a CF and at least 1 CB. Usually you’d include a GK, but this U23 group has good options if they are released. Pulling rabbits out of a hat I’d say Sargent, McKenzie, and ?
That’s a tremendous idea, actually. Nagbe has always been class personified, he’s been around the US setup even if he later opted out, and he and Morris are already an established combo who know one another’s tendencies inside and out. If he’d do it it’s hard to imagine a better player to boss this US team.
Also…congrats to JR. Your excrutiating fanhood was definitely rewarded today. As a temporary Ohioan – albeit one on the far northwestern corner of the state, so close to Michigan I can smell the bong smoke – it’s hard not to root for the local(ish) team and it’s been eye-raising seeing soccer grow before my very eyes in this state.
Columbus plays some really slick, really attractive ball. They were just flat better than LAFC and that’s saying something. It easily could have been 3-0 before halftime and that would have been all she wrote. Wilfried Nancy is definitely a coach to keep an eye on. I mean, we already know US Soccer is comfortable hiring coaches from the Columbus Crew, so….(cough)
I can’t complain too much, 2 MLS Cups in 4 yrs. Plus the Campeones Cup (I guess I care about that) I missed the first half but 2nd half anyway we looked like we learned a little better how to kill off a game. I was sweating when we subbed out Rossi, Cucho, Yeboah, and Nagbe. If they’d gotten a 2nd we were severely limited offensively. And anyone who thinks Gressell can still play RB/RWB for the NT let me show you Bouanga putting him on skates. I did laugh at Berhalter in the crowd, since Nancy seems better at implementing a possession based offense that disorganizes opponents with the ball.