Folks, they did it. 

No, you’re not dreaming. 

The Columbus Crew secured its 3rd-ever MLS Cup victory, beating Western Conference champions LAFC 2-1 at Lower.com Field. Goals from Cucho Hernandez and Yaw Yeboah made the difference for the Black & Gold on the scoresheet but the all-around dominant performance from the Crew, who simply out-played LAFC, was relentless and nearly flawless.

A tap-in from Dennis Bouagna called for a nervy finish to the game, but alas, the Black & Gold prevailed. The mighty Crew rightfully earns its place atop the MLS hierarchy. 

It became evident around the 10th minute of the match that Head Coach Wilfried Nancy had likely pulled another tactical stroke of genius. The Black & Gold were dominant in possession and rarely allowed LAFC’s attackers to make their way into the final third of the pitch for several stretches over the first half. 

In the 30th minute of play, the Black & Gold were awarded a penalty kick. LAFC defender Diego Palacios was called for a handball in the 18-yard box while attempting to win the ball from Crew forward Diego Rossi.

Once the whistle was blown and the handball was called, all 20,802 people in attendance knew who would step up to the plate. Forward Cucho Hernandez calmly and precisely slotted his penalty into the bottom left corner, immediately igniting the roaring chorus of the crowd. 

But the Black & Gold were not done yet. 

Just six minutes later, in the 37th minute, the Crew doubled its lead through a brilliant two-touch finish from Yaw Yeboah. A perfectly threaded through ball from Malte Amundsen found the feet of Yeboah, who used his body to shield the ball from an oncoming LAFC defender before guiding the ball past LAFC goalkeeper Crepeau. 

At this point in the match, all things pointed to a Black & Gold victory. Off the field, the constant backing of Crew supporters drowned out any LAFC fans in attendance, while on the field, Columbus looked untouchable.

In the 55th minute, defender Malte Amundsen prevented what likely would have been an LAFC goal with a remarkable slide tackle. LAFC forward Cristian Olivera, who was essentially through on goal with only Schulte left to beat, crept toward the penalty box when Amundsen swept the ball cleanly out of his path before Schulte buried the ball in his grasp to avoid any close calls

The doubt that had left the minds of Crew fans after Cucho’s penalty and Yeboah’s strike crept back in when Dennis Bouanga got on the scoresheet in the 74th minute. The LAFC forward’s first shot on goal in the sequence produced a miraculous save from goalkeeper Patrick Schulte, but Bouanga was able to tuck away the rebound past the keeper. Schulte went down in the process, leading to a lengthy medical examination, though he ultimately remained on the field. 

The intensity rose in the remaining 15 minutes of the match as LAFC sought an equalizer while the Crew aimed to put the game to bed. 

In injury time, both Christian Ramirez and Kevin Molino went down in the 18-yard box in a matter of seconds, with both players claiming they were fouled. Neither of these incidents was acknowledged by the referee, who elected to continue the play. 

After an agonizing seven minutes of injury time that felt like ages, the final whistle was blown.

Relief, pride, and joy were felt throughout the stands and on the field as the entire stadium erupted upon the conclusion of the match. 

Cucho Hernandez was named the MLS Cup Final MVP. With his goal tonight he brings his total tally this season to 16 goals and 11 assists. Signed in July 2022 from English club Watford FC, Hernandez has become the face of the Black & Gold and has proven himself as one of the best forwards in the league. 

Not only was this a win for the players on the field, but a win for the fans who stuck with the team through thick and thin. There is another timeline where this game does not get played, where the Columbus Crew is not saved and does not get to play in another MLS Cup Final, let alone win it. But because of you, the fans, your persistence and your passion for this club, the Black & Gold lived to see another day. 

The win also marks a series of milestones. The win marks the 3rd MLS Cup victory in Columbus Crew history. Only LA Galaxy (5) and D.C. United (4) have won more. 

Wilfried Nancy became the first black coach to ever win MLS Cup. Post-match, Nancy spoke about his conflict with the achievement. 

“Obviously, I’m happy, I’m so proud of that because there is a lot of walls behind that, there is a lot of courage behind that. But I’m not happy at the same time because this is not normal. Simple as that,” Nancy said. “I’m proud to be the only black [coach to win MLS Cup], but I’m not happy. This is something that has to change and I know that MLS tried to do that, but this is not only in MLS. This is everywhere.”

Darlington Nagbe becomes the second player ever to win MLS Cup four times. He won it previously with the Portland Timbers in 2015, with Atlanta United in 2018, and with the Columbus Crew in 2020 and now 2023 as well. 

Patrick Schulte becomes the youngest starting goalkeeper in MLS history to win the MLS Cup. Schulte quickly earned his role in the starting XI this season, beating out veteran goalkeeper Eloy Room for the top spot. That is no small feat, and Schulte has continued to make strides this season, putting in top performances with jaw-dropping saves, especially during the Black & Gold’s playoff run. 

Schulte, along with Mohamed Farsi, has shown that the players who won the inaugural MLS Next Pro Cup with Crew 2 last season have what it takes to make it at the professional level. It is a testament to the Black & Gold’s development system and Nancy’s belief in giving younger players opportunities.