It was after the Crew’s goalless draw against Real Salt Lake on April 13 that central defender Malte Amundsen made his feelings clear. He is done with tied matches.
“We are happy to keep a clean sheet and yet I am tired of drawing,” Amundsen said. “I want to win a match soon.”
Combining the MLS regular season and CONCACAF Champions Cup, the Crew is on a six-game losing streak dating back to March 30 in a road match against Nashville SC.
The Crew is set to begin its Champions Cup series against CF Monterrey, the Liga MX team that knocked Columbus out of the tournament in 2021, as the only MLS team left standing.
While the first leg will take place in Columbus, the Crew would like this to be the game where they return to finish games on top. If not, history will not be on their side to qualify for the Champions Cup final. The only time an MLS team beat a Liga MX team in a series after failing to win their home game was Columbus against the Tigres in this year’s quarterfinals.
Here’s what you need to know as the Crew take on Tigres’ close rival Monterrey in the first leg of the semi-finals tonight.
What time does Columbus Crew play CF Monterrey?
Kickoff is set for 8:15 p.m. at Lower.com Field.
What channel is Columbus Crew vs CF Monterrey on?
The match will take place on FS1. Streaming is available through the Fox Sports app. The Spanish broadcast will be on ViX.
How can I listen to Columbus Crew vs CF Monterrey on the radio?
The match broadcast will be available on 105.7 FM. Chris Doran will be on the radio call. The Spanish radio show will be available via 102.5 FM La Grande.
What is the CONCACAF Champions Cup?
The Champions Cup is an annual competition organized by CONCACAF, the regional football governing body for North America, Central America and the Caribbean. The tournament includes 27 teams from 10 countries.
Each round, up to the final, will consist of two legs (two matches) and the winner will be determined by the aggregate score (the combined number of goals scored by both teams).
The final will consist of a match whose winner will qualify for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
How has Columbus Crew performed in previous CONCACAF Champions Cups?
The Crew have participated in five previous editions of the Champions Cup, the most recent being in 2021, when they reached the quarter-finals and were knocked out of the tournament by Monterrey 5-2 on aggregate.
Each time the Crew has played in this competition, they have reached the quarter-finals, but never further.
How did Columbus Crew reach the semifinals?
After receiving a bye to the Round of 16 due to their MLS Cup title, the Crew began their CONCACAF Champions Cup journey against the Houston Dynamo.
With the first leg taking place on the road on March 6, Columbus took a commanding 1–0 advantage when forward Alex Matan scored a last-second goal near the end of the game. Matan has been out with a thigh injury since that match.
The Crew returned to Lower.com Field on March 12 for the return match and took a 1–0 lead over Houston in their return match thanks to a goal by Hernandez. Maintaining the advantage for most of the match, Columbus allowed Dynamo to score a penalty goal to tie the match 1-1, but still advanced to the quarterfinals with a 2-1 aggregate lead.
In the first leg of the semifinals, the Crew faced the Tigers at Lower.com Field on April 3, but before the game kicked off, the teams faced a two-hour delay due to rain. Without star forward Cucho Hernández for the second straight game, the Crew relied on forward Diego Rossi to lead Columbus to a 1-1 draw with his first goal of 2024.
At the Estadio Universitario de Mexico for the return match on April 9, the Crew needed to score at least one goal to avoid elimination. It was once again Rossi who scored for Columbus, but with striker André-Pierre Gignac also scoring for the Tigres with his second goal of the series, the teams finished regulation time tied 1-1.
As the normal away goals tiebreaker was also deadlocked at 1–1, the second leg went to two 15-minute overtimes. After 120 minutes of play in total and the series still tied 2-2 on aggregate, Columbus and Tigres were forced to go to penalties.
Team goalkeeper Patrick Schulte saved the Tigres’ first two shots on goal, and with all players except Hernandez making their attempts for Columbus, the club advanced to its first Champions Cup semi-finals. The Crew also made tournament history by becoming the first MLS team to defeat a Liga MX team after failing to win their home game.
How did CF Monterrey reach the quarter-finals?
Monterrey started the Champions Cup on a high note, beating Guatemala’s Comunicaciones 7-1 on aggregate in the first round.
In the Round of 16, Monterrey faced the challenge of defeating the Crew’s Hell is Real rival, FC Cincinnati. After holding Cincinnati scoreless in a 1-0 first leg victory at TQL Stadium, Monterrey was led to a 2-1 second leg victory by former Cincinnati forward Brandon Vazquez to advance to the quarterfinals. final against Inter Miami.
Despite Miami’s star striker Lionel Messi returning in the second leg following a hamstring injury that kept him sidelined for nearly a month, Monterrey beat Miami in both matches, finishing with a total of 5-2.
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