It took everything they had, but the Columbus Crew head into Wednesday’s Campeones Cup clash vs. LIGA MX titans Club América with back-to-back wins.
The Crew went up 3-0 over Orlando City SC on Saturday night, only for the visitors to frantically claw back – forcing the hosts to work for their victory.
Despite the rollercoaster, a 4-3 final secured another three points for the Crew. They won 2-0 at Toronto FC on Wednesday, capping a six-point week.
"This is Orlando," head coach Wilfried Nancy said post-game. "We controlled the game, and suddenly, this is Orlando… They like when this is hectic. That's why they scored.
"We could have done better, but again with the context, I'm really happy about what my players did."
From solid to shaky
The performance showcased the Crew at their best, even if it also included some sloppy late-game defending. They held down control for stretches with crisp, clean possession and ruthlessly capitalized on Orlando's mistakes.
Cucho Hernández, on as a super-sub, finished off a beautiful passing sequence to score in his second-straight game coming off the bench. Attacking partners Christian Ramírez, Diego Rossi and Aziel Jackson also found the back of the net at Lower.com Field.
Nancy feels the Crew's jam-packed schedule reared its head. Going back to their 2024 Leagues Cup title run, they've played seven games in 23 days.
“I'm happy with the win because I told the players, ‘Yes, I could have talked about the way we conceded goals and so on, but when I look back about the schedule that we have and we won tonight, for me, this is perfect,’” Nancy said.
Campeones Cup looms
After last season’s MLS Cup presented by Audi win and this summer’s Leagues Cup title, Columbus have their sights set on more as the calendar turns to fall.
Next up, they host Club América on Wednesday in Campeones Cup (7:30 pm ET | MLS Season Pass; TUDN), the annual one-off final between the reigning MLS and LIGA MX champions.
It’s a chance to add another trophy and challenge another continental powerhouse. Columbus will enter it having lost just one match since July.
"Very excited. Another opportunity to play in the final in front of our home crowd and play for a trophy," said Ramírez.
"This is what we play for, to be in these situations, and we’re thankful that we’re as healthy as we are and we’re in the position that we’re in. So now we’ll recover for these next few days and prepare for América on Wednesday.”
