Columbus Crew, Pachuca highlight Champions Cup semifinals top moments

MIAMI — The 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup concluded the semifinals stage with the Columbus Crew and CF Pachuca moving on to the final.

Here is a look at the best moments from this past week’s Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals:

Columbus advances to first Champions Cup Final

Defending MLS champions Columbus Crew extended its undefeated run in the tournament to six consecutive matches. With a 5–2 aggregate win over CF Monterrey, the U.S. club is headed to its first Concacaf Champions Cup final.

The Crew first participated during the 2003 edition and got as far as the quarterfinals, matching that performance in the 2010, 2011 and 2021 editions.

This year, the Crew broke through to its first semifinals after a penalty shootout win over Tigres UANL. A consecutive trip to Monterrey followed by overcoming Rayados in the semifinals.

Pachuca returns to the final after winning its fifth title in 2016-17

Five-time champions CF Pachuca are back in another Champions Cup Final after eliminating seven-time winners Club America, 3-2 on aggregate.

Pachuca won the tournament during the 2002, 2007, 2008, 2009–10, and 2016–17 editions. This year, the Mexican club is making its 10th overall appearance in which it has remained undefeated through six matches.

Salomon Rondon leads the Golden Boot race with seven goals while Oussama Idrissi co-leads the current campaign with five assists. Those two stars are supplemented by a young core in Erick Sanchez, Nelson Deossa and goalkeeper Carlos Moreno and rising stars in Bryan Gonzalez and Emilio Rodriguez, making Pachuca a balanced team in contention of its sixth crown.

Andres Micolta scored 1,000th for Mexican clubs since the 2008-2009 edition 

Pachuca defender Andres Micolta was pivotal with key plays against the Club America offense. The 24-year-old Ecuadorian also wrote his name in the record books by scoring the 1,000th goal by a Mexican club in the Champions Cup.

The history making goal originated from a set piece in the first leg. Oussama Idrissi provided the pinpoint delivery to the far post where Micolta connected with a header.

Columbus is the first MLS team to win a home and away in semifinals against a Liga MX club

Columbus’ trip to the final is equally impressive by its consecutive wins over five-time Champions Cup winners CF Monterrey. This feat was accomplished for the first time by an MLS club.

Juan Camilo Hernandez and Jacen Russell-Rowe scored in the first leg to help Columbus take a lead in the series. Aiden Morris, Diego Rossi, and Russell-Rowe scored in the second leg to send the Crew to its first tournament final.

Rudy Camacho and Sean Zawadzki provided Best XI performances as part of the Columbus defensive line, helping contain a talented Monterrey frontline to one goal in each leg. Goalkeeper Patrick Schulte provided 15 saves across the entire series.