Crew pack Union up in Leagues Cup semifinal

After falling to the Columbus Crew by a scoreline of 3-1 at Lower.com Field on Wednesday night, the Philadelphia Union’s magical Leagues Cup campaign is over. And considering the contrasting ecstasy of a 4-2 goalfest against CIncinnati in the Round of 16 and a wild penalty shootout against Mazatlan in the quarterfinal, it was a fairly anticlimactic finish to the tournament for the Union. Well, let’s go through the match in all its agonizing detail. 

Coming into the match, the Union had won six of their last seven matches in all competitions, and were beginning to look like the Union of old again after a subpar start to the year. But, unfortunately for the Union, they were faced with a completely different task against the reigning MLS Cup Champion Columbus Crew in the Leagues Cup semi-final. Wilfried Nancy’s men came into the match on their own run of good form, having won nine out of their last 11 matches. The frontline trio of Diego Rossi, Cucho Hernandez, and Christian Ramirez scored six goals in the squad’s three previous Leagues Cup knockout matches. But the match would also be difficult because the Union would be without scorching hot forward Tai Baribo, who was serving a suspension for his red card against Mazatlan, as well as club legend Jose “El Brujo” Martinez, who left the club for Brazilian giant Corinthians on a transfer. 

Early on against the Union, it looked like more of the same for the Crew’s three-headed monster in attack. In the 4th minute, Columbus wing back Mohamed Farsi sent an early cross into the penalty area where it found the waiting feet of Rossi, but his effort sailed over the bar. Eight minutes later, Cucho Hernandez found a pocket of space on the left wing and curled a dangerous ball into the penalty area. Andre Blake got a glove to it, but parried the ball into the direction of Rossi, who headed in his fifth goal of the Crew’s Leagues Cup campaign and put Columbus ahead 1-0. Rossi acted first, latching onto the rebound in front of Jack McGlynn, who was caught sleeping on the back post. 

But two minutes later, the Union had a golden chance of their own. From a Kai Wagner corner, Mikael Uhre found himself all alone on the back post, but his header was saved by Columbus goalkeeper Patrick Schulte from a tight angle. However, despite the miss, the Union seemed to grow in confidence from the chance. For the next 15 minutes or so, they appeared to be on the front foot. And in the 32nd minute, the Union got their goal. Columbus center back Yevhen Cheberko received a pass from Schulte at the back and took an abysmal first touch that Nathan Harriel opportunistically jumped on and played into the feet of Daniel Gazdag, who finished from close range to level the match 1-1. The goal was the result of a suffocating high press from the Union that ended in pay dirt. 

Unfortunately for the Union, their good spell faded. And in the 43rd minute, the Crew regained their stronghold on the match when Christian Ramirez scooped a lovely little ball into the feet of Rossi, who scored his second goal of the match for his third brace of Leagues Cup. Gut wrenching end to the half for the boys in blue. 

The Union nearly leveled the match early in the second half, when Alejandro Bedoya played an inviting ball into the box that Quinn Sullivan just couldn’t quite get ahold of, sending the ball wide of the target. 

Then, in the 53rd minute, Columbus called game. From a Steven Moreira cross, Cucho got his head on a bullet of a header that Andre Blake got low to his left and made a classic Andre Blake save, only for his defenders to stand there and watch Cucho pounce on his own miss and double the Crew’s lead from close range. 

And save for a few late chances from substitute Sam Adeniran, the Union never really threatened to get back into the match. When the final whistle blew, their Leagues Cup campaign was nothing more than a piece of history. And to be fair to Columbus, they dominated the match, outshooting the Union 14 to 9, outpossessing the Union 56% to 44%, and holding an expected goals advantage of 3.87 to 1.29. In the end, it’s just another deep cup run ending in heartbreak. At least this time, there was less hope to be crushed. 

Now, the Union will play the Colorado Rapids in the Leagues Cup third place game on Sunday at 4:30 p.m. A win in the third place game would secure the Union a first-round bye in the next edition of the Concacaf Champions Cup. 

Then, it’s back to MLS play next Wednesday, when the Union will get another crack at Columbus – this time at home.