LAFC falls to Columbus Crew in Leagues Cup Final

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Los Angeles FC lost their fourth straight final as Columbus Crew demolished them 3-1 at Lower.com field on Sunday in the final match of the in-season Leagues Cup tournament in front of a sold-out home crowd adorning the stands in yellow and black. 

Sandwiching their 8-match unbeaten streak are two losses for the Black and Gold. On either end lies a Columbus Crew game. The first was a 5-1 lashing at BMO Stadium and this newest stung even more than their 2-1 loss in the MLS Cup Final last December because it reveals an undeniable weakness in LAFC's armor. That weakness is Wilfried Nancy's Columbus side and their relentless passionate pursuit of trophies that reaches deeper than words can express. 

"You know, you cannot predict anything. And what I like about my team is depending what the opposition gives us, they are able to do something," Nancy said. "And the third goal for me was, it was a beauty. Why? Because when I took the team, I tried to explain to my players that, yes, the goal is important; this is the final action. But what we do before, this is more important for me. And don't get me wrong, Jacen plays it really well. But Cucho as a number nine, he could have kept the ball and tried to do something. But again, this is my team. This is our team. This is the past. This is the gift." Cucho Hernández, with a brace and assist in the third goal for the Crew was named the best player of the tournament. 

Former French international Olivier Giroud scored his first goal for LAFC in his first start, tying the score at 1-1 early with a header in the second half, but Columbus scored twice in a span of two minutes during second-half stoppage time. 

"I think Giroud's getting better and better. This goal is probably important for him," LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris said. "He opened his goal account for his new club. But I think things will get even better and better. He just needs time, games, and goals to get confident."

As far as Steve Cherundolo is concerned, the gap between the teams isn't as remarkable as the numbers suggest. While Columbus dominate in all aspects of the game from possession to shots to passing accuracy, LAFC were able to equalize in the 57th minute and maintain that balance until the 92nd minute. 

 "The game developed exactly how we expected, so our match plan was pretty clear, and with the exception of conceding the goal right before half which which shouldn't happen; it's just poor defending, it's kind of falling asleep," LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo said. "I thought we had a really good second half, and it developed exactly how we thought we knew they would. They get fatigued, and that's exactly what happened. We had them on the ropes, and then again, the same carelessness defending. It's just two two moments in the game where we kind of weren't awake, and they were. That's the difference," he concluded.

Putting this final result behind them is their first order of business. "Winning, raising a trophy is always great. It didn't happen and we move on," Cherundolo explained. "We have important match Wednesday night in Seattle in the Open Cup and we'd love to host the Final at BMO. That's our objective now. There's no time to really to think too much about this. You won't hear me speak another word about it after we're done here."

MLS resumes the regular season next weekend but first LAFC head to Seattle to play in the semifinal round of the US Open Cup against the Sounders at the Starfire Sports Complex in Tukwila, Washington on Wednesday August . The match is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 pm and can be watched for free on Apple TV's MLS Season Pass.