Columbus Crew topple Monterrey to reach Champions Cup final | MLSSoccer.com

The Columbus Crew are one game away from becoming the second-ever Concacaf Champions Cup winner from MLS, booking their spot in the final 5-2 on aggregate over CF Monterrey following a 3-1 win in Leg 2 of their semifinal series at Estadio BBVA Wednesday night.

The Crew, which won the opening leg 2-1 at Lower.com Field on April 24, will face Pachuca in the June final, with a berth in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and 2024 FIFA Intercontinental Cup, as well as regional bragging rights and prize money on the line.

They’re a win away from joining the 2022 Seattle Sounders as the only Champions Cup winners from MLS.

Monterrey struck first, courtesy of a Yevhen Cheberko own goal in the 11th minute after Maxi Meza chip over onrushing Crew goalkeeper Patrick Schulte caromed off the crossbar and in off the Ukrainian defender.

But Columbus leveled on the final kick of the first half when Aidan Morris picked off a rolled out restart by Monterrey goalkeeper Esteban Andrada and fired home the Crew’s vital away goal in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time.

Diego Rossi put the Crew ahead on the night, and 4-2 on aggregate, four minutes into the second half, with a tidy finish after being slipped through by second-half substitute Alex Matan.

Monterrey went all-in on attack, but Schulte was solid when tested as the Crew saw out the match and moved one step closer to another title when Jacen Russell-Rowe (89') put the finishing touches on the win.

Goals

• 11’ - MTY - Yevhen Cheberko (OG) | WATCH
• 45+4' - CLB - Aidan Morris | WATCH
• 49' - CLB - Diego Rossi | WATCH
• 89' - CLB - Jacen Russell-Rowe | WATCH

Three Things

• THE BIG PICTURE: Columbus made history in Nuevo León, becoming the first MLS team to beat Monterrey in a two-legged series – and doing so convincingly – as well as the seventh MLS side to reach the Champions Cup final in the modern era. Now, they’ll attempt to join Seattle Sounders FC as the second MLS squad to win the competition after Rave Green did so in 2022.
• MOMENT OF THE MATCH: The tenor of the match changed just before halftime, when Morris picked off Esteban Andrada’s rolled out restart and fired past the Monterrey goalkeeper.

• MAN OF THE MATCH: Rossi essentially put the series to bed four minutes into the second half. It was his fifth Champions Cup goal – all coming against Liga MX opposition.

Next Up

• CLB: Saturday, May 11 vs. FC Cincinnati (7:45 pm ET | MLS Season Pass, FS1) | MLS regular season
• MTY: Wednesday, May 8 at Tigres UANL (TBD) | Liga MX Clasura Liguilla

Dylan Butler -