MIAMI – CF Monterrey welcomes Columbus Crew in the second leg of their 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal series on Wednesday at Estadio BBVA in Guadalupe, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.
Juan Camilo Hernandez and Jacen Russell-Rowe scored for the Crew to secure a 2-1 home win in the first leg. Maximiliano Meza scored the lone goal for Monterrey to keep the deficit on aggregate to the minimum difference.
The best moments of the match! 📹@ColumbusCrew 🆚 @Rayados #ConcaChampions pic.twitter.com/mqHLR9bvVJ
— Concacaf Champions Cup (@TheChampions) April 25, 2024
The Crew reached five consecutive games without losing in the tournament (W2, D2) and ended a streak of three consecutive draws in CCC play. Columbus also ended a streak of four consecutive games (D3, L1) without a victory against a Liga MX team. Historically, Columbus Crew have secured qualification when winning in the first leg.
Diego Rossi and Juan Camilo Hernandez lead the MLS champions in CCC scoring with two goals each. Goalkeeper Patrick Schulte has 20 saves in this campaign and was a key player in the previous trip to the Monterrey area, making two stops in the penalty shootout against Tigres UANL in the quarterfinals.
Meza leads the team in assists with five and has been involved in 6 of the last 9 goals for Monterrey. Brandon Vasquez, German Berterame and Jesus Gallardo will also be key pieces in attack with 8 goals scored between the three of them. Goalkeeper Esteban Andrada leads the tournament with 24 saves, including six in the first leg.
For Monterrey, the first leg defeat ended a streak of six consecutive victories in semifinal matches. Rayados had not lost a semifinal match since 2004. It also ended a 10-match winning streak for Monterrey.
CF Monterrey suffered only their third defeat against an MLS opponent in 19 matches. Monterrey lost a first leg match for only the third time in the entire history of the tournament.
Monterrey has managed to overcome each of the semifinals they played since the 2008/09 edition, going on to win the trophy every time. Rayados will look to defend a streak of 20 consecutive series victories.
CF Monterrey (MEX) vs Columbus Crew (USA)
REF: JUAN GABRIEL CALDERON (Costa Rica)
AR1: JUAN CARLOS MORA (Costa Rica)
AR2: WILLIAM ARRIETA (Costa Rica)
4TH: WALTER LOPEZ (Guatemala)
VAR: BENJAMIN PINEDA (Costa Rica)
VAR1: TRISTLEY BASSUE (Saint Kitts and Nevis)
