Columbus Crew Clinch MLS Cup Finals With 1-0 Win Over New England

Gyasi Zardes with Columbus Crew in 2019
Gyasi Zardes with Columbus Crew in 2019. Photo by David Kirouac/CSM/Shutterstock (10203583p)

The Columbus Crew will play in the MLS Cup Finals once again. Crew clinched their third finals appearance with a hard-fought 1-0 win over the New England Revolution on Sunday night.

Columbus looked like the better team starting the game but failed to convert their chances in the first half.

New England, on the other hand, looked like they were focused on keeping their goal protected while waiting for their opponent to make a mistake.

The second half continued in the same manner, but this time, Columbus managed to get a breakthrough.

Lucas Zelarayan came from the left side and delivered a nice cross to find defender Jonathan Mensah in the Revolution’s penalty box.

Instead of trying to get it done himself, Mensah laid off the ball to Artur, who had an easy job finding a way past Matt Turner.

New England’s attempts to tie the game fell short, with the Crew’s backup goalie Andrew Tarbell ready for every ball that found its way towards him.

The Columbus Crew, who won the MLS Cup back in 2008, now wait to see who they’ll play from the Western Conference. It’ll be either Minnesota United FC or the Seattle Sounders FC , depending on who wins their match.

The MLS Cup Finals is set for 12th December at Crew’s Mapfre Stadium.

“We’re one step away,” said Columbus head coach Caleb Porter after the game. “That’s what I keep going back to. The job’s not done.”

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