COLUMBUS, Ohio — For the second time in less than nine months, the Columbus Crew defeated LAFC at Lower.com Field with a major trophy on the line.

Cucho Hernandez scored two goals and added an assist to lead the Crew to a 3-1 victory in the 2024 Leagues Cup final on Sunday night, a rematch of the 2023 MLS Cup final, which the Crew also won.

Cucho’s winning shot came in the second minute of stoppage time in the second half when his long ball struck LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris flat on his feet and bounced past him into the goal for a 2-1 lead. Seconds later, Cucho began a counterattack and assisted Jacen Russell-Rowe, who fired a right-footed shot past Lloris to make it 3-1 and all but secure the victory for the Crew.

The Crew took a 1-0 lead in the closing minutes of the first half when Cucho headed a cross from Mo Farsi past Lloris. But LAFC responded in the 57th minute when Olivier Giroud, in his first start for the club, scored on a corner past Crew goalkeeper Nicholas Hagen.

This is the second year of the Leagues Cup, a competition between MLS, Liga MX, the top soccer league in Mexico, and the Canadian Premier League. Inter Miami, strengthened by the arrival of Lionel Messi, won the 2023 trophy.