COLUMBUS – The Columbus Crew will play for its third MLS Cup Saturday afternoon against the defending league champion Los Angeles FC
Columbus Crew (16-9-9) vs. Los Angeles FC (14-10-10); Lower.com Field, Columbus OH
Saturday, Dec. 9 (4:00 p.m./MLS (MLS Season Pass/FOX)
This is the first Cup final played at Lower.com Field where the Crew is 14-1-4 this season.
Cucho Hernandez paces the highest-scoring squad in MLS play with 20 of Columbus’ league-leading 67 goals.
Diego Rossi has three goals and four assists over the last 10 games.
Columbus reached the finals by virtue of back-to-back overtime victories over Orlando City and FC Cincinnati.
Both teams were No. 3 seeds in their conference playoffs but Columbus got to host the title game because of a better regular-season point total. They advanced on a 3-2 victory over the top seed and Supporters Shield winner, FC Cincinnati, in the Eastern Conference finals.
Hernandez has led the team with four goals and two assists through the team’s five playoff games. In the conference championship against Cincinnati, he served a header to Christian Ramirez for the game-winner in the 115th minute.
The Crew has won two MLS Cup championships in 2008 and 2020.
The match Saturday is the first meeting this season between Columbus and LAFC.
Los Angeles heads into the match after securing three straight shutout wins.
Denis Bouanga has scored 24 goals with seven assists to lead LAFC.
Ryan Hollingshead has three goals over the last 10 games.