Colombian striker Cucho Hernandez scored twice for the Columbus Crew, helping his team beat Los Angeles FC 3-1 and win the Leagues Cup final on Sunday with two stoppage-time goals.

It is the second trophy the Crew has won under French coach Wilfried Nancy after the team won the MLS Cup last December – also against LAFC – at Lower.com Stadium.

The crew, which also reached the final of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, losing to Mexican club Pachuca in June, has won admirers in North America for its attractive and progressive football.

The finishing skills of 25-year-old striker Hernandez, who has already played in England and Spain, were once again crucial for Columbus.

Hernandez put the Crew ahead just before halftime with a powerful header after Mohamed Farsi had skilfully chipped the ball into the box.

Former French national team and Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud, making his first start for LAFC following his recent move from AC Milan, equalized in the 57th minute with a trademark header following a corner from Mateusz Bogusz.

The goal brought LAFC to life and they enjoyed a period of intense pressure that the Crew’s defense could hardly cope with.

When the penalty shootout came down to it, Hernandez played a promising ball from a half-left position into the penalty area, which the blind LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris could not block.

Hernandez celebrated by taking off his shirt and jumping into the crowd, but he retained enough energy to make another decisive contribution.

The Colombian set up the third goal by leading a counterattack deep into injury time, breaking free and then passing the ball to substitute Jacen Russell-Rowe, who calmly slotted it home.

“I am at a loss for words, I continue to make history at this club,” said Hernandez.

“This is my job. Good work brings reward and this is the reward. The mentality of this team is something you rarely see in other teams,” he said.

Nancy said his team had once again demonstrated its qualities.

“It’s incredible. This is another opportunity to show that we are consistent, that we are good and that we are capable of facing adversity,” Nancy told Apple TV after the game.

“Yes, we play the way we play, but at the end of the day it’s about the spirit. The most important thing is to do it in front of our fans. The memories, the memories will be incredible,” he added.

The loss was the latest disappointment for Steve Cherundolo’s LAFC, which had lost the CONCACAF Champions Cup final to Leon since winning the 2022 MLS Cup prior to its two final defeats to the Crew.

Both the Crew and LAFC qualified for next year’s CONCACAF competition along with the Colorado Rapids, who finished third in the Leagues Cup after defeating Philadelphia Union on penalties.

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