Columbus Crew Top CF Monterrey, 2-1

April 24, 2024 – MLS NEXT Pro (MLS NEXT Pro)
Columbus Crew 2 News Release

The Crew earned a 2-1 win against CF Monterrey on Wednesday night in the first leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup Semifinals at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio.

The Black & Gold are unbeaten through their first five 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup matches.

With the win, the Crew possess a 3-0-4 record in first legs of knockout round matches of the Concacaf Champions Cup.

Columbus has scored at least one goal in 25 of its past 27 matches across all competitions, netting 50 goals in the stretch.

Dating back to the 2023 season, the Black & Gold hold an overall unbeaten streak of 26 matches (18-0-8) across all competitions at Lower.com Field. Additionally, the Club has only lost one of its past 37 home matches in all competitions (24-1-12) since Aug. 2022.

With tonight’s result, the Crew also extended their unbeaten streak to 11 home matches in Concacaf Champions Cup play (5-0-6), dating back to Sept. 2009.

Forward Cucho Hernández opened the scoring in the 25th minute with a right-footed shot from inside the penalty area.

This marks his sixth goal of the season across all competitions and second in Concacaf Champions Cup.

Hernández became the eighth player in Crew history to record two or more career goals in Concacaf Champions Cup since the 2008-09 edition.

With the goal, Cucho entered the Club’s top 10 goal scorers across all competitions.

Forward Jacen Russell-Rowe scored the game-winning goal in the 72nd minute with a headed finish inside the penalty area.

Russell-Rowe registered his third goal of the season across all competitions and first in Concacaf Champions Cup.

With the goal, Russell-Rowe becomes the fourth different goal-scorer for the Crew in 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup play.

He also recorded the assist to Hernández’s score, his first assist of the season across all competitions.

The Crew face CF Monterrey in the second leg of the Concacaf Champions Cup Semifinals at Estadio BBVA on Wednesday, May 1 at 10:15 p.m. ET. Based on Wednesday’s 2-1 result at Lower.com Field, the Club can advance to the Concacaf Championship Cup Final for the first time in franchise history with:

A Crew win or tie by any scoreline.

A one-goal loss in which the Crew score at least two goals (e.g., 3-2, 4-3, etc.)

In the event the match is 2-1 win in favor of CF Monterrey at the end of regulation, the contest will proceed to extra time and potentially penalty kicks.

If Monterrey wins 1-0 or by two or more goals, the…