Reviewing Leagues Cup Final (Columbus Crew vs LAFC)

alrighty so I just got off a flight about an hour ago and actually just got back home about half hour ago and just in time to basically do the review of the leads Cup Final by the way I was able to watch both the leads Cup Final and the third place match in the the elites cup both uh from the plane I actually was able to watch the entire first half of the the third place match in the elites cup because my flight actually got delayed about 30 minutes and and because of that delay I was able to watch uh the majority part of the first half and then for the rest of the game and also for the leades Cup Final I was able to watch it on the plane I never fought the Delta Wi-Fi actually was was good enough to basically watch uh Apple TV because you know there's always that skepticism in terms of Wi-Fi and on the airplane are not very good but you know for most part of the the flight I was actually able to to uh watch uh these game uninterrupted I mean there was some part where it was a little bit interrupt and the Wi-Fi wasn't working but it wasn't that that long that I miss a key moment uh in this game and also the the one that was the third place match in the leads cup which I'll do the review of that match in just a bit but in terms of this final well I would like to say that this was a final where it was kind of a tail of two halves I mean first half oura Columbus was the better team second half lafc was definitely uh the better team and I thought thought despite that you know this L like it was going to go to a PK shootout but but then you know the old saying goes it only takes one magical moment and maybe some luck uh to to win a final and that's exactly what the Columbus Crew got uh late in this game now in the first half uh the first shot of the game did see bogush puts one right to haen now this was a huge gamble for wi for nzi in my opinion to go with Nick Hogan I mean I know Hogan has done well uh do doing his his time with columus in terms of this leads cup run but with the way that shy had played well in the last couple of games I was expecting Shelty was going to be the the the number one in here but here here Nick Haggen was given the the spot and I got to give a lot of credit to Nick Hogan he he played very well in this one I mean this is it's one thing to step in into the team in terms of the leads cup just to to cover Patrick Schultz and find some good form but to just kind of put it right back in into it after you haven't played in the last couple of games again I just feel like that was a huge gamble that will for Nazi decided to do and also a Gamble that I'm not surprised with fanzi May because he's a guy that that does make some B gambles and make some b b choices with his starting 11 and yeah it turns out that gamble kind of paid off because Hogan was really good uh in this game as well but LFC I thought actually had most of the possession early as Columbus was happy to sit back and look for the counter now obviously that was very early in the game uh for the rest of the first half that's not how it it went and also for the rest of the game that's not how it went as for the rest of the game Columbus started to take can show of possession because that's what what what Nazi ball is all about but the first shot for the crew did see nagby puts it over the bar off the deflection The Possession went now 64 to 36 in favor of Columbus 15 minutes in oh there was shout for a hand ball in the Box for from the Columbus fans they uh they feel like that was a penalty it wasn't uh given they didn't even show a replay of that so I'm assuming it's probably not a hand ball ball that is but in the 22 minute cooo was actually free he was makinging that run it was a beautiful ball that was played toward him and he just could not quite uh tap that one in with an out outstretched leg and then arson with flashed wi from long range before he had a shot that was deflected and goes wide and really for the first time uh in this final we started to see some sustained pressure especially from Columbus they started putting the Heat and was looking for the opening goal uh nagby almost scored another goal L go it feels like Darlington nagby I mean we we talk about before there's a lot of players that that has that Banger only kind kind of trait daring to nappy is one that I don't think a lot of people mention the fact that he's kind of the guy that has that Banger only tra you know that when darington nby gets on the score sheet it's going to be an absolute Banger and he almost scored one here on the VA volley but just puts this one wide uh we didn't get a cooling break right about the half out Mark which I thought that that was a huge relief for lafc because they were under siege they were under significant pressure and in some way I think uh Taylor 12 me mentioned it especially in the the second half FC looked like they were they were scared coming out of this game and I understand yes this team has had your your number and especially we know what happened a couple of weeks ago when they they got absolutely destroyed at home by by Columbus 5 nothing but all this talk about how you know you go this is the game that you have course get get get back in Columbus and that they definitely learned their lesson after a five nothing and they they want to show that hunger that they can get get the job done for once in a a cup final and they showed up like that where they look look really scar and look very very flat throughout the game I mean that was a really big surprise and in the 42nd minute Rossy would hits one right to L I thought it looked like you know both team was started the s for a no no as we closed the halftime whistle there wasn't really as much attacking chances by either team since the cooling break though that being said Columbus probably saw that and especially coo Hernandez saw that and he took it personal because he scored in the 45th minute to get the opening goal of this game he scored from from Rossy to give Columbus a one- nothing Le by the way as I'll I'll mention uh a little bit uh in the the review of the third place match dieo Rossi unfortunately lost the the Golden Boot boot race on this final day because Ty pero actually won the Golden Boot race with him scoring the brace and obviously Rossy uh did didn't get the on the score sheet in this one but I don't think Diego Rossy would have care especially what happened at the end of this game but yeah uh that that give Columbus a one nothing lead and well they deserve one nothing lead because I thought they were the better team uh in the first half so we go to the second half and in the second half Muro had to be subed off he picked up a bit of a knock on the need and sigara replac him ironically as much as at that time it looked like it was a big blow for LFC because Maro has been an absolute Rock for this LFC defense it's actually turn turns out to be a benefit because sigara you know he he he is a guy that is always known to be a more attacking minded kind of kind of Defender and it kind of helped LFC a little bit where they started to realize that hey not just have it Go in it just don't don't play Scar like they they did in the first half and see what happened and you might as well to do so because you're down one nothing you need to really go go for it uh cooo with then headset wi from the set piece in the 52nd minute Oh I thought LFC have not done well tonight dealing with with setp either and especially those crosses to be fair I don't think both of these team done particularly well but I thought LFC they were having some tough time at times in terms of the set pieces terms of the crosses that's coming in to the box and little for cadow uh for you that actually turns out to be a big thing uh especially the the winning goal of this game but uh in the 54th minute boo F that he tied it up for lafc but unfortunately the flag came up for for offside and really that was really one of the first good good look that lafc has had on the attack and that also might be a warning sign for Columbus because as much as you know you dominate the the first half and you got that lead right before halftime it's still only one nothing and we know lafc eventually they're going to wake up and especially the they're going to try try to to to go for it and we also know that it doesn't take much for LFC to get the equalizer LFC at times even when they're they're look like they're under siege they will score a goal completely against uh the the the running play and tie this game up and guess what happened that's exactly what they did because after banga had a shot that was deflected and goes hind on the ensuing uh Corner L jaru would score his for his career goal for lafc from Bou toh tie the game up at one a piece well I said it was kind of against the Run Place LFC was definitely really start uh building some momentum after that gold dis allow in fact I think that gold dis allow really changed the momentum of this game and and hence this is why I've said that this game was kind of a tail of two halves where for the majority of the second half that moment really started to give LFC not only believe but they started becoming the the better team now there was also a brief check to see whether or not if there was a potential foul in the Box because it looked like kamacho got got hit by one of the LFC player and and that you know no uh Columbus feel like that that that that should be potentially be cough out but V says no the goal of course was given and yeah just like that it is all tied up at one a piece and also just like that momentum is now in favor of lafc I mean I know it's always a cliche saying that goals change games but that's kind of how it is the momentum now is with lafc they look like they were more on the front foot and they don't have that kind kind of scare mentality that they play in the first half and we're really going to try to take the lead uh the shots though still were 995 in favor of Columbus 64 minutes in and then in the 70th minute talk about scoring against the Run play chrisan Ramirez almost did so and he he he would love to have this one back I mean he had an absolute free header there just uh poor defending there from lafc and they got away of it because uh remirez HS this one right to lce it was a rough night for Christian Ramirez he he was very quiet throughout this game didn't get in involved too much and eventually of course got subed off out out of this one and to to add to to a night where he just wasn't at it this was a moment that he he would love to have have it back and then some I mean in the grand SCH thing like I said at the end of the day he probably won't think about that but if Columbus would have lost that you better believe that Christian Ramirez is going to think about that chance because nine out of 10 time with how good Christian Ramirez has been the season for for Columbus um that that's in back of the net most most of the time but it wasn't in this case uh and then in the 78th minute Kai Kamar actually get S summoned by LFC now this was kind of interesting because um when he was summoned into this game the Columbus fan they booed him him hard uh as he was Sum into this game and that's kind of interesting because you know kai Kamar we talk about he has just been a legendary journeyman probably the best journeyman uh player that have ever played in this league he plays with so many different team pretty much have have a record in terms of the most team he have played uh in his career in by any MLS players so it was kind of interesting the the the fact that you know the crew fan fans are were the one that really boo him mercely after he come back against his for former team he doesn't get booed by by other team that he of course play play uh for and I guess maybe that has to do with there was some bad blood I heard heard uh when he ended his tenure with the Columbus Crew especially right right after uh when they of course uh won uh before they they they won the MOs cup um or actually they didn't won that MOS cup I'm sorry they they lost that MOS cup to the Timbers in in in 2015 I think 2020 when they won won the MOs cup and then of course last year winning the same one there was definitely some bad blood that that was shared so I guess that's kind of the reason why crew fans doesn't like him him so so so much uh and that he was definitely getting booed mercilessly when he come on and if he would have scored the winning goal I mean that would have been the worst nightmare for every Columbus Crew fan and maybe not only are is a great revenge for LFC but to have one of the more more hated former crew player to to score the the winning goal yeah that would really hurt if you're a crew fan but in the 79th minute chano would actually hits one that was spilled by hogin and he put an absolute knuckler on that shot but uh it was gatter on the second attempt bonga then was in on goal there but hogin just about got that away uh for a corner it was also a very quiet night for Denise banga as well I thought the crew did a good job in terms of shutting him down for the most part of of this game uh uh but I continued to threatening they were pressing for the winner and most importantly revenge and then we almost had a miscue at the back and again this has been a problem for Columbus in this leads cup where they they have had so many games throughout this leads cup where they have have give up a goal because of mq at the back and they almost did it again here just some miscommunication here between hogin and kamacho really kamacho has been kind of at the center of it he he's he has not had a great lead lead stup uh with the way that he he he's been at fall at pretty much all those bad turnover that Columbus has had in the last couple of games but yeah he he almost made another mistake here and almost gifted LFC the the the lead lead there but you know Columbus got away with it but there was no doubt that the crew were on the Rope they look look like like like they they were on verge of conceding a goal with the way the LFC was B buzzing and again just have not looked the same ever since they concede The Equalizer but but as we head there into starish thinking that this g go to a PE shoot down coo had other ideas because in the second minute of sage time he would score from Aon to give the crew the the 2-1 lead and a play that is just completely against the run a play because LFC they looked like they were going to win this in no way you would have fought that before that moment that the crew would would win it late in this game and it was kind of not only a a minute a moment of Brilliance but maybe a moment of luck too because it was kind of like a little shot cross there you know I know after the game if you ask coo does he meant to do that he'll probably say yes but I'm pretty sure demon is hard he didn't really meant for that that was really uh meant for for Russell row and I know I've heard there's a lot lot of lafc fans have G given lce the stick in terms of giving up this goal I mean for me I feel like it's a little harsh to to blame this on on l i mean yes he got flat foot footed that's obviously not a good good thing when you're you're a goalkeeper and also not to mention you could argue maybe he could have come come off his lines and punched that one away because it was pretty close for him though it was kind of a low D driven cross so that's always one that's difficult to judge if you're the keeper and make that decision and should you come out to punch that one way but I I think the reason why I'm not going to to think that this is this is really completely on L's fault is because uh Russell R was there to try to head that one in and I think he he when he did that it just uh froze uh L A little bit enough that yeah just go uh goes past him like that we we see this H happen before too whenever a free that delivering a dangerous area where no one touches and somehow it ends up into to the backa net this was kind of similar uh to that but still po defending there from from LFC again the fact that they let cooo with that much space to cross I mean I know kucho is known to be a go scorer but he can be a guy that that could provide assist and especially cross the ball uh from the flank here I mean yeah just not great defending for LFC and then in the two in the four minut starage time the roof basically coming off at lower Doon field because uh Jason russello on the Breakaway would score from cooo to make it 3-1 in favor of the crew and you know as I said the roof not only come off at lower daon field that was probably the loudest I've ever heard lower do onio and yes that include when they won ml cup when they scored those those goal it was just Jubilation for for for all those crew fans see seeing their team cap off uh uh not only another win in the cup final but at lead's cup now into to the the the numerous trophy that will fernan has been able to win for for this team in a short time as they win 3-1 against LFC the shots in this one 12 shots could be the seven that LFC had three shots on go the five that Columbus had four shots off Target compared the one that LFC had both team had free shots that was block and possession wi 67% possession compared to the 33% possession that LFC has in this game and with this win Columbus of course is moving on in to uh uh well actually they get get a birth not only to the kave Champions come but I think they also get a birth for the FIFA Club World Cup because I I've heard about how the winner of this competition will get a birth to the FIFA Club World Cup and I'm assuming Columbus will be in that in 2025 and they deserve it too because I I I I think they have looked really good uh so so far not only in this tournament but also in the conaf Champions Cup as well I'm very interested to see how they they'll do when they do face against the the best of the the world as we're going to see a lot of big big well-known team like real M Madrid and so so forth and and Bayern Munich that's going to be playing in that that FIFA Club World cup uh in in in next year but yeah certainly congratulations to the crew and congratulations to Warford nzi team another Master Class kind of per for performance to win a trophy in the final but for lafc the narrative continues uh if there's one thing we know about this leads cup is that it feels like there are certain Narrative of course continue obviously we know about the union Narrative of not able to get it done the same goes for lafc again these big these big games and especially these F finals simply cannot get it done and as I said said before if it wasn't for Gareth Bell and if it wasn't for for for them facing a team that that also had that Narrative of not being able to get it done in in in Cup final game and still have that that narrative to to this day this team would would have lost all their cup fi finals uh in their their franchise history and we would already have a similar Legacy of fail year for this LFC team as we speak with the the Philadelphia Union as well under their their their core that they of of course had and honestly you know in this game I mean if you're an LFC fans I mean I this one I I think would would hurts even more than than what we saw in MOS Cup last year and I would say that out of all these Cup finals that that thefc have lost this one is going to be right up there in terms of the most painful one I think between this one and the one against against Tigres uh it's going to be right up there in terms of the most painful final loss because yeah they had the momentum in the second half they had the the the chance to to get that second goal but how many times we have said before when you're you're on top and especially you're facing against the the likes of the Columbus Crew you don't bury those chances it's going to come back to haunt you every single time and LFC weren't able to get that second goal like they let Columbus um maybe a glimmer or hope to to find a moment of of magic and also some some luck in in involved to get the the winning goal and that's exactly what H happened in this game so yeah either way hope you guys enjoy this video if you do make sure guys see a like smash the Subscribe button by the way both of these team is going to be backing to competitive play so as much as you know I'm pretty sure Columbus would love to to celebrate this leads cup for for a couple of days they got a midweek game against the Philadelphia Union and you know the union would love to have some some revenge in that game and especially the Union uh they're they're probably going to going to hope that that returning to Le lead play will be a way to to to get themselves back on track because as we'll talk about in the next video talk about in their third third place match against k a game where many people thought the union was going to get that third place and it did not H happen What whatsoever but yeah you know for Columbus obviously they don't they don't have a lot of time to celebrate and this is where I think that next game against the the union I would not be surprised if if they they would have have a bit of a let let down or even a massive let down too because it it's hard to try trying to to stay sharp and basically basically go at it again after you win a major trophy like what the the crew has had and I I know people people say that the leads cup might not be a major trophy some even say it's like a fate trophy fact that Columbus what they had to deal with throughout the the tournament to get to that that point uh I don't think you can really say that that that's a a a fake trophy especially I didn't know a fake trophy can get you your your yourself to the the club club World Cup and also get yourself back into the K Champions Cup uh once once again but yeah you know Columbus they're going to have to to to re really have a quick turn around around and maybe kind of have like that that cup hang uh over on that Wednesday game against the union whereas for LFC it's the same thing they got a US Open Cup game in on Wednesday as well the G news is they play against Seattle which is the team that they absolutely owned the last couple of meeting and you know they're going to be angry in terms of they trying to win that and trying to maybe uh get themselves a chance to go into another Cup Final and hope that this will at least be one Cup Final that they won't won't lose that is in the US Open Cup Final I mean at this rate I don't care what kind of cup final it is if you're an lfcc fan you just wish that not only you get back to the cup final but actually maybe defeat the the narrative in terms of not being able to get it done in a cup cup F final I mean I know if they win the US Open cup and depending on who they face in the US Open cup maybe that won't defeat the narrative because team that they potentially could could face could could could be be team that they're going to be heavy favorites in with either sporting Casey or in the 11 but C certainly um you know again uh the narrative is still there with this team this team simply just cannot get over the the hum besides that one MOS cup cup and also the help of GTH Bell uh back in 2022 in ter terms of win winning a a uh another cup final but there we have it as I said hope you guys enjoyed this video if you do make sure guys leave a like smash subscribe button and yeah I of course will see you guys next time