The Leagues Cup Final is set
It might feel pretty familiar. Columbus will host LAFC in an MLS Cup rematch on Sunday at 7:15 pm ET. With semifinal victories, they've both booked a 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup ticket.
So is the Leagues Cup Third Place Match
After losing their semifinals, Philadelphia and Colorado get another shot at a 2025 CCC spot on Sunday at 4:30 pm ET. The Union host at Subaru Park.
Well… that went about how you might have expected. Let’s talk it out.
For a moment, it looked like the Union might have some life after Dániel Gazdag found a slick equalizer. That moment didn’t last long. Diego Rossi scored his second goal of the night shortly after and Cucho Hernández sealed the deal in the second half. The Crew were the better side from start to finish, according to both the eye test and the numbers. By the final whistle, Columbus recorded 3.9 xG worth of chances to Philly’s 1.2. They were simply on a different level.
That’s not surprising. We talked about it plenty in the lead-up to this one: Philadelphia were without two key players and, even if they had them available, an upset win would have been a long shot. Still, I think the Union can take some positives away from this tournament. It reinforced the idea that Tai Baribo might be the genuine product at striker. Plus, don’t forget, they still have a chance at a Concacaf Champions Cup spot. They’ll host Colorado in the Third Place Match on Sunday at 4:30 pm ET. Back-to-back Third Place Match Champions doesn’t fit well on a t-shirt, yet it would put the Union in CCC for the fourth time in five seasons.
Anyway, what’s left to say about the Crew? They’ve played in every final possible for the last nine months. They followed up their MLS Cup win with a CCC Final appearance and now a Leagues Cup Final appearance. They expect to be there at the end of every competition, and then go out there and execute like it. It’s that simple at this point.
With that mindset, Columbus are surely relishing a rematch with an LAFC side they’ve outclassed in each of their last two meetings. The first time came at MLS Cup last December, a 2-1 win in the rain. The second came just a little over a month ago when the Crew bulldozed LAFC in a 5-1 rout.
Columbus are hosting again. They have history on their side. They’re the favorite for another trophy.
Again. No surprises here. Even new midfield signing Lewis O’Brien got on the board in a cakewalk for LAFC.
There’s a wide talent gap between these two sides, and Colorado couldn’t find their footing (or catch as many breaks) as they did against Club América or Toluca FC. They’ll have to regroup in time for Philadelphia in the upcoming Third Place Match on Sunday. They’ll also have to regroup in time for a critical stretch run in league play. The Rapids have a more upward trajectory than last year’s Nashville side, but there’s always the danger that extra miles in Leagues Cup can lead to tired legs at the end of the season. They’ll need to stay sharp while finding a way to deal with the transfer of center back Moïse Bombito to Ligue 1. I’m… a bit worried about the Rapids after an impressive run.
I’m also a bit worried about LAFC. Not in a long-term sense, but in a much more tangible short-term sense because they have to face Columbus again. Those meetings haven’t gone well for LAFC lately. But things do feel different right now. The added depth of O’Brien and Olivier Giroud – he subbed on at halftime of this one – makes them that much more dangerous and gives them a few more options in how they approach each game. Maybe they just need a third try to get things right against Columbus.
It’s at least sort of plausible. It seems to be a bad matchup for LAFC, but the bottom line is these are the two best teams in MLS right now. For me, it’s not even really close. Eye test, underlying numbers, overlying numbers, vibes, you name it. It’s these two at the top.
Before the tournament started, we said that two MLS teams had a genuine shot at winning this thing. Well, now they’re both in the final and we get to take a second to pat ourselves on the back. On a related note, have I mentioned yet that I’m currently first in the MLS Soccer Dot Com “Expert” preseason predictions standings?
The standings thing is (probably) pure luck. Picking out LAFC and Columbus as genuine contenders for a trophy isn’t. They’re outpacing the field right now. They’re F1 cars so far ahead of the pack that it makes the race less exciting. We could see this coming and so could you.
Now, we’ll wait and see if LAFC have enough juice to finally get by Columbus. And then we’ll start getting ready for the MLS Cup rematch in December.
Toklomati joins Charlotte organization: Israeli international forward Idan Toklomati has joined Charlotte FC's organization from Israeli Premier League side Maccabi Petah Tikva. Toklomati, 19, is under contract with MLS NEXT Pro affiliate Crown Legacy FC.
- Wilfried Nancy and the Crew are aiming to “write a legacy” in the Leagues Cup final.
- LAFC are relishing a Columbus rematch.
- There are several scenarios on Saturday where Inter Miami can clinch a playoff spot.
- FC Cincinnati’s summer window offered a needed boost during the club’s championship window.
- New DP Alexey Miranchuk feels he’s in the "right place" with Atlanta United.
- Here’s the Golden Boot presented by Audi tracker before league play returns.
Good luck out there. It’s good to reconnect with old friends.
