The Union have taken the Leagues Cup seriously, and that was evident in the competition’s first two years. To be the only team to have reached the semi-finals in both editions of the tournament, and the only one to have played the maximum number of seven games in both tournaments, is a remarkable accolade for coach Jim Curtin.

However, this does not release the Union from the underdog status in the semifinals on Wednesday in Columbus (7:30 p.m., AppleTV).

“It’s a group that’s hungry and sticks together,” Curtin said Tuesday. “Players have come and gone over the last few weeks. But at the same time, it’s a great opportunity. We know how hard it is to go to Columbus. … This will be another case of us being the underdog. We’ll have to live beyond our means and find a way to survive and move forward.”

The Final Four in the made-up competition between MLS and Liga MX is a mystery. For one thing, there is no representative of the latter, as the Union eliminated Mazatlan on penalties and the Colorado Rapids somehow beat Club America on penalties in the quarterfinals. Also included in the Final Four are both of last year’s MLS Cup finalists, in which Columbus won the trophy against LAFC. LA hosts the Rapids, who are fourth in the West after two consecutive years outside the playoffs.

And then there’s the Union, who always seem to be in the thick of it in such a competition but can’t win one. This is the sixth competition – two MLS Cup playoffs, two Leagues Cups and two CONCACAF Champions Leagues – in which the Union have reached the semifinals since 2021. They have no hardware from the previous five to join the increasingly lonely 2020 Supporters’ Shield in the cupboard.

The club is undefeated in seven games (5-0-2), which belies its 10th place ranking in the East. The Crew is third in the East after reaching the final of the CONCACAF Champions Cup and losing to Pachuca.

Led by Cucho Hernandez (13 goals, six assists) and Diego Rossi (nine goals, six assists), the Crew has one of the most dynamic attacks in the league. It is led by coach Wilfried Nancy, who is considered one of the best coaches in the league. The CCC run showed the coherent identity and beautiful football that the Crew is capable of at its best.

“They play very bravely,” Curtin said. “They’re not going to change, so we know there will be no surprises. That’s what makes Wilfried an incredible coach. His team has a real identity. They always play the same whether they win or lose, whether they’re playing at home or away. It’s really entertaining and difficult to defend. We’re going to suffer a little bit defensively as a team, but if we can be ruthless on the counterattack, the game can be exciting.”

Union has regained its courage in recent weeks. The winning streak coincided with the return of Andre Blake, who provided defensive stability and only conceded five goals in seven games. The club will be without Tai Baribo, who received two yellow cards against Mazatlan – albeit for the slightest of rule violations. Jose Martinez is in Brazil to complete his transfer to Corinthians.

But the Union have welcomed Olivier Mbaizo back into training this week after suffering what turned out to be a minor hamstring strain. New signing Danley Jean Jacques is settling quickly with his new teammates and Curtin said he could use him for around a half without any concerns.

Despite all that, the Union are one win away – either on Wednesday or in a third-place match they would host on Sunday – from a Champions Cup berth next year. They are two wins away from a trophy and would host the final against either LAFC or Colorado. They have already beaten a team with ambitions to go high in the East in Ohio in this tournament, winning the round of 16 at FC Cincinnati.

So you have every chance to go out and win, no matter how daunting the road may be.

“We’re going to be the underdogs,” Curtin said. “We know that. But they’re confident because they’ve played away and beat a really good Cincinnati team recently. So it’s not an impossible task. It’s a group that’s hungry to win a trophy.”

Originally published: August 20, 2024 at 20:26