Club América 1-4 Columbus Crew: summary, score, goals, highlights, Leagues Cup
Club América vs Columbus Crew: as it happened
A statement win for Columbus who now face Minnesota in the next stage with Club America travelling to Chicago to face the Fire in the Round of 32.
Tonight was all about the Crew as they turned on the style in the second half with a dazzling performance against one of the fancied Liga MX teams in te competition.
The whistle sounds and that is a big, big win for the Crew
Martin clips the crossbar with a header.
Club America, who are highly tipped to go far in the Leagues Cup are being torn apart by Columbus.
What a finish from the French player as he skips away and slots the ball over the America keeper.
Steven Moreira makes it 4-1
Chicago score and top Group 2 and would face America in the Round of 32.
The Crew would face the Loons in the knockout round.
7 minutes of added time...
America win a dangerous free just outside the Columbus box.
Sanchez to take....The No. 20 drives the ball straight into the wall.
An impressive fight back from the Crew and all the more after the news that their key player Lucas Zelarayán is set to leave for Saud Arabia.
Fine team goal as the men in yellow work the ball well and Gressel pulls the ball into the danger zone and Ramirez fires home.
Ramirez it is who pokes home.
Goooooool Columbus make it 3!
Molino on for Matan (Crew change)
Rodriguez on for Zendejas (America switch)
Into the final 15 minutes of the game we go.
As things stand, Columbus would play Chicago and America would take on Minnesota in the Round of 32 as Puebla lead the Fire 1-0 with 15 minutes remaining too.
Dos Santos on for Suarez (Club America switch)
Matan is in trouble as the Romanian needs a stretcher after a collision.
Cucho slots home and Columbus Crew take the lead.
Hernandez to take the kick.
Farsi is clipped by the Club America and the Crew are presented with a great chance to take the lead.
Club America go close but the Crew break down the other end and Farsi wins a spot kick.
Martin on for Layun (Ame change)
No goal is the verdict.
Henry Martin set to make an entrance for America.
The ball is in the Crew net again and the flag is up again ... offiside we think as VAR is being consulted.
We pass the hour mark in Ohio and it remains 1-1.
Should the score remain level after 90 minutes, then we'd have a shoot out to decide the winner.
An audacious effort from Club America as Sanchez looks to lob the Crew keeper from just inside the opposition half.
The ball is in the net as Quiñones slots home but the flag is up.
The Colombian striker is just inches offside.
First chance of the second half falls to Zendejas for America as he curls the ball inches wide of the Columbus post.
The tempo has dropped a little compared to the frantic pace of the first half.
Quiñones wns the ball and it's been a while since we saw the Colombian striker in action.
Good start to the second half from Columbus.
Second half imminent and a change for America.
Columbus start the second 45'
Club America have grown into the game and have arguably been the better side but Cucho Hernandez is in a great run of form and has been the bright spark for Columbus tonight as the striker pulls the MLS side back into the game.
The whistle sounds for the interval and it's level at half-time.
Now it's the turn of the Crew fans to make plenty of noise as the "Vamos Columbus" chant rings out.
Danger for Columbus as the ball falls to Yeboah and the Ghanaian opts to cross rather than shoot.
America manage to avert the danger and a chance spurned from the MLS side.
The Crew look to bounce back and win a dangerous free kick just outside the America box.
Cucho has a pop but fails to get the accuracy required and it's an easy one for the America keeper.
Tough to decipher the split of the 20,000 fans at Lower.com Field ... possibly 50/50?
But there are plenty of noisy Club America fans present.
Layun is fouled and Ame win a dangerous free as Suarez strikes but the effort is easy for the keeper to gather.
The Crew give the ball away again and the ball falls to Alvarez who blasts wide.
Columbus are giving the ball away cheaply as the Liga MX side grow in confidence.
Ame take a free quickly and the ball falls to Kevin Alvarez who blasts the ball past Patrick Schulte.
Alvarez on target for the Aguilas.
Patrick Schulte does well again in denying Quiñones as the keeper stands his ground well but once again the Colombian striker does well in finding space.
Possession after 25´
Club America 60-40 (%) Columbus Crew
Julian Quiñones is creating a real problem for the Crew back line with the Colombian striker full of running and displaying excellent off the ball movement.
Layun has a strike from a freekick but drives the effort straight at the Columbus keeper with no let-up in the fast and furious tempo.
Great chance for the Crew as the carve through the Liga MX side and the ball is cut back to Matan but the Romanian gets under the ball and drives over the bar.
We pass the quarter of an hour mark and it's been a bright and open game with both sides creating clear cut chances.
Columbus started the stronger but America growing into the game as time progresses.
America threaten as Layun strikes from distance but his effort is straight at Patrick Schulte
Cucho Hernandez clips the post with a sweet right footed curling effort.
Despite having the best chance of the game, it's Columbus Crew that have settled into the game the better.
A frantic start to the game as both sides try and get into the rhythm of the action.
How much will the Crew miss Zelarayán?
Quiñones is in and the Colombian really should have scored as he springs the offside trap but his effort is saved by Schulte.
Off we go in Ohio.
America start the action.
Columbus Crew take to the field in their classic yellow shirts and black shorts. America tonight don their away jerseys of blue with yellow shorts.
Lower.com Field filling up
Tonight's game in Ohio is a sell-out with Club America always a big draw and boasting many USA based Azulcrema fans.
A capacity crowd of just over 20,000 fans to watch the final group game of the 2023 Leagues Cup.
Kick-off now officially confirmed for 8:10 (ET).
Round of 32 starts on 2 August
There is no respite in the tournament as the Round of 32 continues no sooner after the group stage concludes.
All eyes will undoubtedly be on the DRV PNK Stadium as Leo Mess's Inter Miami face Orlando City.
Club America in Apertura 2023
The Aguilas have just played two games of the new campaign and have recorded a win along with a shock opening day defeat at the Estadio Azteca at the hands of FC Juarez.
Andre Jardine's side sit in 12th place in the 18 team league.
Columbus Crew - domestic form
The Crew sit comfortably in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with ten wins, six draws and seven defeats in the 2023 MLS season and occupy an automatic post season place.
Club America XI named
Andre Jardine has named his team for tonight's clash in Ohio with Colombian striker Julian Quiñones leading the line for the Aguilas.
'Ame warm up at Lower.com Field
Club America take to the pitch and warm up to the delight of the many 'Azulcrema' fans who have made the trip to Columbus tonight.
Lucas Zelarayán exits MLS
The Columbus Crew confirmed on Monday that they have agreed to terms with Al Fateh of the Saudi Pro League for the permanent transfer of midfielder Lucas Zelarayán for an undisclosed transfer fee.
Home field advantage a spur for the Crew
A win tonight for Columbus would see the Black & Gold secure an all important home field advantage for their Round of 32 clash where the Ohio outfit have shown to be at their strongest this season.
Columbus Crew XI named
Wilfried Nancy has named his side to face the Liga MX giants at the Lowerfield.com Stadium with DP Darlington Nagbe set to captain the team.
Do MLS sides have an advantage in Leagues Cup?
The competition has been loaded in favour of the US based sides has been a criticism of the new expanded Leagues Cup and although this is a view held by many, LAFC striker Carlos Vela would like to see more Canadian clubs participate with games staged in all three nations (US, Mexico and Canada)
The Round of 32 games featuring tonight's teams (Crew or Ame) has been scheduled for 4 August with the precise kick-off time still to be established.
Top three Leagues Cup sides qualify for the Concachampions
Apart from the financial rewards and prestige, both Leagues Cup finalists will qualify for the 2024 CONCACAF Champions League, with the winner skipping Round One and going straight into the round of 16.
And, as rarely seems to be the case in any major soccer competition, the third/fourth place playoff will actually have something riding on it. The third-place team will also book a place in next year’s “Concachampions”, joining the runners-up in Round One.
The Crew are ready
Following a 2-1 win over St. Louis City in their opening game, Crew fans are optimistic that Wilfried Nancy's side can go deep in the Leagues Cup competition.
What if tonight's game ends in a draw?
A draw in the group stage of the Leagues Cup would see the sides then head towards a penalty shoot-out to determine who secures the bonus point.
The victor from the shoot out would be the side to top Central 1 and play the runners-up from Central 2 in the Round of 32.
Winners of Central 1 to face runner-up of Central 2.
Tonight's winners are set to face the side that comes second in the Central group 2 and it could be any one of the three teams in the group.... Chicago Fire, Puebla or Minnesota United. The Liga MX side face the Fire tonight.
America-Columbus: match officials
Referee:Fernando Guerrero Ramírez
Ast. Referee 1:Pablo Israel Hernández Luna
Ast. Referee 2:Michel Ricardo Espinoza Avalos
Fourth official:Melvin Matamoros
VAR:Rosendo Mendoza
Ast. VAR:Fabio Tovar
With both teams already through to the Leagues Cup round of 32, Club América and Columbus Crew are level on points and now meet in a winner-takes-all shootout for top spot in Group Central 1.
Recent form: Columbus
July 2023: Columbus Crew 2-1 St Louis City
July 2023: Portland 3-2 Columbus Crew
July 2023: Columbus Crew 1-1 NYCFC
July 2023: Inter Miami 2-2 Columbus Crew
July 2023: Columbus Crew 2-1 NY Red Bulls
Recent form: América
July 2023: América 4-0 St Louis
July 2023: América 3-0 Puebla
July 2023: América 1-2 Juárez
June 2023: América 0-1 Monterrey
June 2023: Toluca 0-0 América
Liga MX side evoke Turtles for gameday poster
The Mexico City giants have used the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles as inspiration in their matchday social media activity ahead of the game.
Sold out !
The Leagues Cup clash is officially sold out, making it the Crew's 11th overall sell-out of the 2023 season.
The action at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio tonight is set to get underway at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT
Hello and welcome to our live coverage as Club America face Columbus Crew in the final Central Group 1 match.