When do the Columbus Crew play Monterrey in the CONCACAF semifinals
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The Columbus Crew’s biggest continental matches in club history now have dates and kick-off times.
The Black & Gold are set to take on Mexican club CF Monterrey in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, the first time the Crew have made this stage of the competition. Like the first two rounds, Columbus will play Rayados twice.
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The first leg at Lower.com Field in Columbus will be played on April 24 at 8:15 p.m. The second leg at Estadio BBVA in Monterrey, Mexico will be played on May 1 at 10:15 p.m. Tickets for the first leg in Downtown Columbus are on sale.
Whoever scores the most goals in the two matches combined will make the final. If the teams are tied, the first tiebreaker is goals scored on the road. If that is tied, the second leg would go to extra time and possibly penalties. The winner will face either Pachuca or Club America in the single-leg final on June 2.
Columbus qualified for its first CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals after beating Monterrey’s archrivals Tigres in the quarterfinals. After two 1-1 draws, the two sides were forced into a penalty shootout in Mexico to decide the winner. The Crew won the shootout 4-3, marking the first time an MLS club beat a Mexican club on penalties in Mexico.
As the last MLS team standing, the Crew face a familiar foe they took on three years ago. In the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League, the Black & Gold faced Monterrey in the quarterfinals. After a dramatic and controversial 2-2 draw at Historic Crew Stadium, the Crew fell to Rayados 3-0 in Mexico while being without star playmaker Lucas Zelarayan.
Monterrey would go on to win the 2021 Champions League, the fifth time they won the competition. Whoever wins the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup will qualify for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. The newly-expanded Club World Cup will feature 32 teams and be played in the United States from June 15-July 13 next year.
2025 FIFA Club World Cup participants
Asia (4): Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia), Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan), TBD, TBD
Africa (4): Al Ahly (Egypt), Wydad Casablanca (Morocco), TBD, TBD
CONCACAF (4): Monterrey (Mexico), Seattle Sounders (USA), Club Leon (Mexico), TBD
South America (6): Palmeiras (Brazil), Flamengo (Brazil), Fluminense (Brazil), TBD, TBD, TBD
Oceania (1): Auckland City (New Zealand)
Europe (12): Chelsea (England), Real Madrid (Spain), Manchester City (England), Bayern Munich (Germany), PSG (France), Inter Milan (Italy), Porto (Portugal), Benfica (Portugal), Borussia Dortmund (Germany), Juventus (Italy), TBD, TBD
United States (1): TBD
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