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Goals from Aidan Morris and Diego Rossi on either side of halftime led the Columbus Crew to a 3-1 victory over Monterrey on Wednesday in Guadalupe, Mexico, giving the Crew a 5-2 aggregate win in the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals.
Columbus, the reigning MLS Cup champion, opened the semifinal series with a 2-1 home victory on April 24.
The Crew advance to oppose another Mexican team, Pachuca, in the final on June 2. Pachuca beat Liga MX rival Club America 2-1 on Tuesday to cap a 3-2 semifinal victory.
3 - The Columbus Crew are the third MLS team to win both matches of a two-leg tie against a Liga MX opponent (67 ties). Sweep. pic.twitter.com/6pYXVmXndx
— OptaJack⚽️ (@OptaJack) May 2, 2024
By winning 3-1 at CF Monterrey tonight, the @ColumbusCrew have become the first @MLS club in @TheChampions history to advance against two LIGA MX teams without suffering a defeat in the second legs on the road. pic.twitter.com/Tx3BRWE7de
— MLS Communications (@MLS_PR) May 2, 2024
Monterrey leveled the series with an 11th-minute own goal from Crew defender Yevhen Cheberko.
Monterrey strikes first on an own goal! pic.twitter.com/9NwdeK5nMh
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 2, 2024
With seconds left in the first half, Monterrey goalie Esteban Andrada rolled the ball out beyond the 18-yard box but left it short of his intended target. Morris ran onto the ball, drove to the top of the box and rolled a right-footed shot past Andrada, who was stranded at the penalty spot.
AIDAN MORRIS GIVES COLUMBUS THE AWAY GOAL!! pic.twitter.com/7WqHBqnPEW
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 2, 2024
Columbus' Alexandru Matan entered the game as a second-half substitute and made an immediate impact. His perfect pass slipped in to Rossi for a 14-yard, left-footed shot that padded the Crew's aggregate advantage.
THAT MAN DIEGO ROSSI @ColumbusCrew lead Monterrey 4-2 on aggregate! #ConcaChampions
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 2, 2024
Jacen Russell-Rowe capped Columbus' victory with a counterattack goal in the 89th minute, breaking in alone and chipping the ball past Andrada, who came out to challenge him.
Jacen Russell-Rowe with the cherry on top for The Crew vs Monterrey pic.twitter.com/N9IBN6FUPi
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) May 2, 2024
Andrada subsequently saved a penalty kick from Christian Ramirez in second-half stoppage time.
Columbus are headed to the final of the competition, formerly known as the CONCACAF Champions League, for the first time. Pachuca are a five-time winner of the event.
--Field Level Media
