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Com TW NOw News 2024

Columbus Crew, LAFC to seek MLS Cup revenge in Leagues Cup final
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Columbus Crew, LAFC to seek MLS Cup revenge in Leagues Cup final

LAFC and Columbus Crew secured a spot in the Leagues Cup final on Wednesday night, a revenge match for the 2023 MLS Cup final.

In last year’s MLS championship game, the Crew defeated LAFC 2-1 in Columbus. The two teams will meet again on Sunday for the title in the same stadium.

Diego Rossi scored his third two goals in four games in Columbus’ 3-1 win over Philadelphia Union in the first semifinal.

Rossi scored in the 12th and 43rd minutes to set up a goal by Union’s Dániel Gazdag in the 32nd minute. Cucho Hernández tapped in his own rebound in the 53rd minute to give Columbus a two-goal lead.

The Crew opened the scoring when Rossi made a diving header at the near post after Andre Blake had saved a curling goal from Hernandez.

Gazdag took advantage of a giveaway to score the equaliser, but the Crew responded just before half-time when Christian Ramírez played a pass to Rossi.

Goals from Mateusz Bogusz and Kei Kamara, three minutes apart late in the first half, gave host LAFC the victory over visiting Colorado Rapids and the revenge LAFC wanted.

In addition to the MLS Cup final result, the Crew also visited LAFC on July 13, defeating them 5-1 in the MLS regular season competition.

Bogusz scored with a well-placed shot from 19 yards into the bottom right corner in the 42nd minute. Kamara was given the lead by Ryan Hollingshead in the 45th minute. Dénis Bouanga scored in the 59th minute and Lewis O’Brien added a goal in the 75th minute to back up three saves by LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

LAFC and the Crew earned a spot in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup.

The Union will host the Rapids in the third place match on Sunday, with the winner receiving a place in the Champions Cup.

This report uses information from Field Level Media.