The Columbus Crew lifted the Leagues Cup trophy Sunday night after a 3-1 victory over Los Angeles FC in the final of the competition.
Crew forward Cucho Hernandez opened the scoring with a header just before the halftime break, but LAFC forward Olivier Giroud scored his debut goal for the club in the 57th minute. That’s where things stood as the clock ticked past the 90th minute. Then, a stoppage-time goal from Cucho pushed the Crew ahead 2-1, and Canada international Jalen Russell-Rowe finished off a counter-attack Hernandez led in the 94th minute to put the cherry on top of the Leagues Cup cupcake.
In addition to lifting the two-bowled trophy and having their name etched on the silverware as the champion of the tournament, the Crew also earned an additional prize. They’ll go directly into the Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16.
The Crew know how important that can be, having gone to the final of the tournament in 2024 but falling short to Pachuca in the final. The Tuzos and Crew both entered in the Round of 16 last tournament thanks to winning other competitions with Inter Miami skipping Round One as Leagues Cup champ.
“This is amazing,” Crew manager Wilfried Nancy said Sunday night. “We have many games, and in the future will have more games. That’s the way it is in this league and other leagues. The idea is to be prepared to play 55, 60 games, and if you can avoid one round it’s amazing. It’s the consequence of what (my players) did on the pitch.”
They weren’t the only team setting themselves up well for the 2025 continental championship Sunday night.
It was hardly straightforward, but the Colorado Rapids claimed the third and final CCC spot awarded in the Leagues Cup. After a topsy-turvy match against the Philadelphia Union that saw the Rapids take the lead, fall behind, and then find an equalizer, the teams went into the shootout.
There, Zack Steven, who would be named the tournament’s top goalkeeper a few hours later, made a pair of stops and saw one of the Union’s kicks ricochet off his crossbar. Djordje Mihailovic, Cole Bassett and Andres Maxso all converted their kicks for the Rapids, who now know they’ll play international soccer in 2025.
“It was a wild tournament. Lots of games, different types of opposition and game plans. To start out 47 teams and be one of the top three in the end only can make a coach proud. It’s great stuff from our guys,” Rapids manager Chris Armas said.
The Leagues Cup runners-up LAFC will join them in the first Round One of the CCC, having earned their place in the 2025 CCC with a 4-0 semifinal win over the Rapids.
“We’re already qualified for the Champions Cup. That was the first objective this tournament and job well done by us,” LAFC manager Steve Cherundolo said after the final. “Raising a trophy is always great. It didn’t happen and we move on. It’s that simple. There’s no time to really think too much about this. It was a fun experience, a fun tournament for us, but it’s over.”
The results Sunday mean the Crew, LAFC and the Rapids have secured the three CCC places on offer through Leagues Cup. While other participants from MLS and Liga MX will book their places, they’ll have to do it through other pathways. Meanwhile, all three teams who know they’re off to the 2025 CCC will celebrate the achievement and, soon enough, start preparing for the tournament.
