Crew top Monterrey in first leg of CONCACAF semifinals

Wednesday, April 24, 2024
By Kevin Rouch
krouch@cbussports.com

Crew's Cucho Hernandez celebrates goal

The Columbus Crew’s Cucho Hernández scored the first goal against Monterrey in the Crew’s 2-1 CONCACAF semifinal win at Lower.com Field April 24. Photo: Kevin Lam

The Columbus Crew found themselves in a position they had never been before. On Wednesday, they hosted Liga MX’s Monterrey in the first leg of the CONCACAF semifinal series at Lower.com Field. The Crew have never advanced to this stage in their 29-year history.

Monterrey came into the match, having defeated FC Cincinnati in the Round of 16, then Lionel Messi and Inter Miami in the quarterfinals. The Crew downed Houston in the first round. In the quarterfinals, they beat Tigres UANL in a shootout to advance.

At 25′ into Wednesday’s match, the Crew got on the board first when Cucho Hernández and Jacen Russell-Rowe executed a perfect give-and-go in the middle of the pitch, which Hernández finished by powering a shot past Monterrey goalkeeper Esteban Andrada. 

In the second half, at the 58′ mark, Monterrey tied the score. Jesus Gallardo sent the ball across the goalmouth and past a diving Columbus goalkeeper, Patrick Schulte, to the back post where a streaking Maximiliano Meza chipped it in.

Fourteen minutes later, the Crew retook the lead. Diego Rossi’s right-side corner kick was first headed by Sean Zawadzki to the left side of the box where Russell-Rowe in turn headed the ball, on a sharp angle bounce, into the right corner of the Monterrey net.

The Crew held on for the 2-1 win through four plus minutes of stoppage time. The teams will play next Wednesday in Monterrey, Mexico in the second leg of the series. The club with the best aggregated score will move on to the CONCACAF Cup finals.

Crew's Jacen Russell-Rowe heads the ball for a goal

Jacen Russell-Rowe heads the ball toward the Monterrey net for the deciding goal in the Crew’s 2-1 CONCACAF semifinal victory at Lower.com Field April 24. Photo: Kevin Lam