Wilfried Nancy, coach of the reigning MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew, may solely snigger in disbelief after a questionable no-call left the membership with out one other prestigious title.

The Crew misplaced to Membership América within the Campeones Cup remaining after an exciting, 5-4 penalty shootout that lasted seven rounds after a 1-1 tie on Wednesday evening at Decrease.com Discipline in Columbus, Ohio.

The match between the reigning MLS and LIGA MX champions left the Crew watching Membership América hoist a trophy on the pitch they celebrated their MLS Cup and Leagues Cup titles on.

The Crew noticed Malte Amundsen, who scored the 1-1 equalizer within the 77th minute, hit the crossbar on his penalty shot within the sixth spherical. Nevertheless it appeared América goalie Luis Malagón left his submit on the again line earlier than the shot.

Nancy praised the sport referees for informing the gamers of the principles within the penalty spherical, till it got here to the decisive second that value the Crew their third championship within the final 12 months.

“The goalkeeper was not on his line. The referee, he stated that … Sorry, I am laughing, as a result of the referee stated that it did not have an effect on the shot,” Nancy stated. “So, I do not know, the principles are guidelines.”

Membership América’s Néstor Araujo scored the game-winning penalty kick, via the fingers of Crew goalie Patrick Schulte one kick later, to steal the victory.

Columbus is 2-2 in championship video games within the final 12 months: The Crew beat LAFC 2-1 within the 2023 MLS Cup, misplaced to Pachuca 3-0 within the Concacaf Champions Cup remaining on June 1, and beat LAFC 3-1 within the Leagues Cup remaining on Aug. 25, earlier than Wednesday’s defeat.

The Crew almost turned the primary group to win two Campeones Cup finals. They gained the 2021 Campeones Cup after successful the 2020 MLS Cup. Atlanta United (2019) and New York Metropolis FC (2022) are the opposite MLS champions to win the Campeones Cup in its six-year historical past.

This Campeones Cup marks one other trophy for LIGA MX powerhouse Membership América, which has 15 all-time league titles – greater than every other franchise.

Diego Valdés, Rodrigo Aguirre, Álvaro Fidalgo and Dávila scored for America within the shootout in opposition to Schulte, a member of the U.S. males’s soccer group on the 2024 Paris Olympics. Rudy Camacho, Jacen Russell-Rowe, Cucho Hernández and DeJuan Jones scored for Columbus within the penalty shootout.

Aziel Jackson and Alexandru Matan missed for Columbus, which was unable to depend on standouts Diego Rossi, who left 4 minutes earlier than regulation ended, and Christian Ramirez, who was substituted out through the second half.

“He was drained. Easy as that,” Nancy stated of Rossi’s removing.

Regardless of Wednesday’s setback, Columbus is on an unprecedented run because the premier and most profitable Main League Soccer group. They’re a favourite to win one other MLS Cup, and have an outdoor likelihood on the Supporters’ Protect within the remaining weeks of the season.

The Crew will go to the White Home on Friday to rejoice their 2023 MLS Cup title, earlier than going through D.C. United at Audi Discipline on Saturday.

Then, the Crew will welcome Lionel Messi and MLS-leading Inter Miami to Columbus subsequent Wednesday in a match that would resolve the MLS Supporters’ Protect. If Inter Miami wins its subsequent two video games (Saturday vs. Charlotte, and at Columbus), it’s going to win the title given to the group with the league’s greatest document.

“I’m unhappy for the gamers as a result of they deserved higher, however I’m actually happy with what they did,” Nancy stated. “We obtained near win this recreation, however we didn’t. We now have to digest, and we’ve to maneuver ahead.”

Campeones Cup: Columbus Crew vs. Membership América highlights

Columbus Crew and Membership América penalty shootout ends in Campeones Cup

Membership América has gained the Campeones Cup after a 5-4 penalty shootout in opposition to Columbus Crew.

• Rudy Camacho scores for Columbus, 1-0.
• Diego Valdés scores for América, 1-1 after one spherical.
• Alexandru Matan misses for Columbus, 1-1.
• Richard Sánchez misses for América, 1-1 after two rounds.
• Jacen Russell-Rowe scores for Columbus, 2-1.
• Rodrigo Aguirre scores for América, 2-2 after three rounds.
• Cucho Hernández scores for Columbus, 3-2.
• Álvaro Fidalgo scores for América, 3-3 after 4 rounds.
• DeJuan Jones scores for Columbus, 4-3.
• Víctor Dávila scores for América, 4-4 after 5 rounds. The shootout goes on.
• Aziel Jackson misses for Columbus, 4-4.
• Ramón Juarez misses for América, 4-4 after six rounds.
• Malte Amundsen misses off the highest submit for Columbus, 4-4.
• Néstor Araujo scores for América, 5-4 after seven rounds.

Columbus Crew and Membership América headed to penalty shootout in Campeones Cup

After 90 minutes and stoppage time, we’ve a tie within the Campeones Cup. And the sport will instantly go to a penalty shootout to resolve the champion.

It’s going to be fascinating to see which Crew gamers take part within the shootout after Diego Rossi and Christian Ramirez had been substituted out of the match.

Malte Amundsen aim: Columbus Crew 1, Membership América 1

We’ve obtained a tied match in Columbus after a nook kick and a header within the 77th minute.

The Crew’s Malte Amundsen maneuvered fantastically to make the kick from the nook, and located the underside left aspect of the web.

The momentum has swung because the match heads into the ultimate 12 minutes of regulation.

Víctor Dávila aim: Membership América 1, Columbus Crew 0

We’ve obtained a rating in Columbus, but it surely comes from the opposition.

América’s Víctor Dávila, who joined the membership about two weeks in the past, got here on instead and scored within the 68th minute to take a 1-0 lead.

It was merely a defensive breakdown by the Crew, as Dávila broke free behind them right into a straightaway assault towards the web.

Columbus Crew’s Patrick Schulte with huge save: Columbus Crew 0, Membership América 0

Álvaro Fidalgo missed in 58th minute, because of a stellar save by Crew goalie Patrick Schulte. The save adopted a miss by Crew standout Christian Ramirez in an earlier sequence. It’s nonetheless scoreless in Columbus.

Columbus Crew and Membership América tied at halftime

We’re tied at halftime, however the Columbus Crew had its greatest assault towards the web.

Cucho Hernandez delivered a go to Diego Rossi within the field, however Rossi’s header was squared away by Membership América goalie Luis Malagón within the forty fifth minute.  

Membership America had a lot of the momentum within the first half, taking six pictures with two heading in the right direction. Columbus had solely three pictures, with their miss heading in the right direction.

Membership América possessed the ball for 57.71% within the first half, whereas Columbus had 42.29% possession.

Easy methods to watch Columbus Crew vs. Membership América in Campeones Cup reside stream?

The match can be streamed reside through MLS Season Move on Apple TV in English and Spanish, and on TUDN completely in Spanish.

Columbus Crew vs. Membership América beginning lineups

Listed below are the starters for each golf equipment in tonight’s Campeones Cup:

What time is the Campeones Cup?

The Campones Cup begins at 7:30 p.m. ET inside Decrease.com Discipline in Columbus, Ohio – residence of the Columbus Crew.

What’s the Campeones Cup?

The Campeones Cup is an annual competitors that pits the winners of the earlier MLS and LIGA MX seasons in opposition to one another for a trophy. This would be the sixth version.

Consider it as a North American model of the Finalissima, the CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions, which sees the Copa America winner tackle the UEFA Euro champions in a match.

Columbus Crew on title run

The Columbus Crew beat LAFC, 2-1, within the 2023 MLS Cup, misplaced to Pachuca 3-0 within the Concacaf Champions Cup remaining June 1, and beat LAFC, 3-1, within the Leagues Cup remaining on Aug. 25.

The Campeones Cup is the fourth likelihood for Columbus Crew to win a trophy earlier than the MLS season ends and the MLS Cup playoffs start to finish the 2024 season.

The Crew has additionally been right here earlier than: After successful the MLS Cup in 2020, the Crew gained the Campeones Cup in 2021.

Campeones Cup winners

MLS groups have gained three of the 5 Campeones Cups:

• 2018: Tigres UANL 3, Toronto FC 1
• 2019: Atlanta United 3, Membership América 2
• 2021: Columbus Crew 2, Cruz Azul 0
• 2022: New York Metropolis FC 2, Atlas FC 0
• 2023: Tigres UNAL 0 (4), LAFC 0 (2)

Columbus Crew vs. Membership América current historical past

These groups final met throughout Leagues Cup 2023 group play, the place the Crew beat Membership América 4-1 on July 31, 2023. Cucho Hernández scored twice, whereas Christian Ramirez and Steven Moreira scored for Columbus, whereas Kevin Álvarez scored for Membership América.

Columbus Crew vs. Inter Miami on Oct. 2

The Crew continues to be in competition for the MLS Supporters Protect, and can be one of the crucial feared groups, together with Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami, for the MLS Cup this 12 months. They’re going to meet at Decrease.com Discipline on Oct. 2.

• Prime 3 MLS Japanese Convention standings: Inter Miami (64 factors), FC Cincinnati (56) and Columbus Crew (56).
• Prime 4 MLS Supporters Protect standings: Inter Miami (64), LA Galaxy (58), Cincinnati (56) and Columbus (56).

Columbus Crew has 4 common season matches remaining, whereas Inter Miami, LA Galaxy and Cincinnati have three video games left this season.