MLS has a new champion. Columbus Crew won the MLS Cup on Saturday by beating Seattle (3-0), preventing the Sounders from winning the North American Championship twice in a row.
– –
In front of 1,500 spectators at MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, Gyasi Zardes set the tone for the game with the dangerous first strike in the 17th minute, intercepted by Swiss Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei. Lucas Zelarayan quickly opened the scoring from the left (25th). Then, six minutes later, Derrick Étienne doubled the bet (31st). Elected MVP of the meeting, Zelarayan offered himself a double at the end of the match (82nd).
– –
Second title in its history
Deprived of two of its star players, Darlington Nagbe and Pedro Santos, Covid-19 positive, Columbus, one of the founding clubs of the MLS, won the Championship for the second time in its history after 2008. The Sounders, however favorites, were aiming a third title in five years.
– –
“When you have a vision that is strong, when you value your goal and you have a group of guys who buy into it all, no one can stop them from getting there,” said, visibly moved, Columbus Crew coach Caleb Porter.
– –
