The Columbus Crew clinched the 2024 Leagues Cup title with a 3-1 victory over Los Angeles FC, thanks in large part to striker Cucho Hernandez, who scored two goals and provided an assist.
Hernandez opened the scoring for the Crew just before halftime with a header from a Mo Farsi cross. Columbus maintained a 1-0 lead until the 57th minute when LAFC’s Olivier Giroud scored his first goal for the club, equalizing the match at 1-1 from a corner kick.
Regulations stated there would be no overtime, meaning that if the score remained tied, the final would go to penalty kicks after stoppage time. However, Hernandez struck again less than two minutes into added time, firing a shot into the net from the top corner of LAFC’s box, regaining the lead for Columbus.
In the dying moments of the match, Hernandez assisted Jacen Russell-Rowe, who sealed the victory with Columbus’s third goal, pushing the final score to 3-1.
This victory marks the Crew’s second championship win within a year, adding to their MLS Cup title secured in December 2023 with a previous 2-1 win over LAFC.
Attendance at the Leagues Cup final at Lower.com Field was reported as a sellout, with 20,190 fans in attendance. The match featured a number of player substitutions and notable plays, including missed scoring opportunities from LAFC and key contributions from Crew players throughout the game.
Columbus appears to have built a strong team, having previously overcome challenges to reach the final, including a four-goal performance against Sporting Kansas City and a comeback win against Inter Miami to advance. The Crew also had a tight match against New York City FC in the quarterfinals, ultimately progressing via penalties, and secured their place in the final with another solid performance against the Philadelphia Union in the semifinals.
In terms of overall records, the Columbus Crew have now improved to 2-3-1 against LAFC, continuing their competitive rivalry.