Cucho Hernandez scored as Columbus Crew beat Mexico’s Monterrey 2-1 in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup semi-finals in Ohio on Wednesday.
Colombian striker Hernandez put in a brilliant performance, culminating in a well-taken first-half goal to help Columbus take a slender lead into next week’s second leg in Mexico.
Jacen Russell-Rowe headed in Columbus’ winning goal from a corner in the 72nd minute after Maximiliano Meza equalized for Monterrey just after the break.
The Major League Soccer champions – who stunned Mexican side Tigres in the quarter-finals – once again proved to be more than a match for their Liga-MX opponents.
Monterrey started well and could have taken the lead through US international striker Brandon Vazquez, whose shot from six yards was well saved by Crew goalkeeper Patrick Schulte in the sixth minute.
But after that initial scare, Columbus dominated for long stretches, with Hernandez at the center of most of the attacks at Lower Field.
The Colombian almost scored for Diego Rossi in the 17th minute, but the Uruguayan shot wide of the post.
Moments later, Hernandez saw a vicious shot saved by Monterrey goalkeeper Esteban Andrada.
Columbus’ pressure paid off in the 26th minute, with Hernandez playing a one-two with Russell-Rowe on the edge of the box and finishing powerfully past Andrada for 1-0.
Hernandez almost doubled the Crew’s lead late in the first half but was once again denied by Andrada as the beleaguered Monterrey goalkeeper beat an excellent sbot.
Columbus were shaken in the 58th minute when Monterrey equalized. Jesus Gallardo passed Sean Zawadzki very easily on the left and crossed for Meza, who finished.
But Zawadzki made amends in the 72nd minute, taking a corner that found Russell-Rowe at the far post, whose header bounced into the net past Andrada.
The second leg takes place in Monterrey, next Wednesday.
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