LAFC and Columbus Crew secured their spot in the Leagues Cup final on Wednesday night to set a rematch of the 2023 MLS Cup final.
In last year’s MLS championship match, the Crew edged out LAFC 2-1 in Columbus. Both teams will meet again for a title on Sunday at the same stadium.
Diego Rossi scored his third brace in four matches in Columbus’ 3-1 victory over Philadelphia Union in the first semifinal.
Rossi scored in the 12th and 43rd minutes to sandwich a 32nd-minute goal by the Union’s Dániel Gazdag. Cucho Hernández tapped in his own rebound in the 53rd to give Columbus a two-goal lead.
The Crew opened the scoring when Rossi made a diving header at the near post after Andre Blake made a save on a curling strike by Hernandez.
Gazdag took advantage of a giveaway to get the equalizer, but the Crew responded just before the break when Christian Ramírez chipped a pass to Rossi for the finish.
Goals three minutes apart late in the first half by Mateusz Bogusz and Kei Kamara helped host LAFC defeat visiting Colorado Rapids to create the rematch LAFC wanted.
In addition to the MLS Cup final result, the Crew also went on the road to rout LAFC 5-1 on July 13 in MLS regular season play.
Bogusz scored on a well-placed shot from 19 yards to the lower right corner in the 42nd minute. In the 45th, Kamara was set up in front by Ryan Hollingshead. Dénis Bouanga scored in the 59th minute and Lewis O’Brien added a goal in the 75th to back the three saves made by LAFC goalie Hugo Lloris.
LAFC and the Crew earned spots in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup.
The Union will host the Rapids in the third-place match on Sunday, with the winner receiving a Champions Cup berth.
Information from Field Level Media was used in this report.