Cucho Hernandez, Columbus Crew overcome sale of Lucas Zelarayan, beat Club America
The Crew’s attacking trinity of Lucas Zelarayan, Christian Ramirez and Cucho Hernandez has been nothing short of electric this season.
Reduced by one third after the Crew’s surprising move to sell Zelarayan to a Saudi Arabian club announced a few hours before kickoff Monday night, the magical midfielder’s former teammates sent him off in style. With Zelarayan watching from a suite, the Crew surrendered an opening goal before going on to hand Liga MX foe Club America a 4-1 defeat at Lower.com Field in Leagues Cup play.
Hernandez had the first two goals. Ramirez added the clincher. Now the Crew awaits their opponent and date for the first knockout round of the tournament, having taken down the top MLS club in the Western Conference and now the most storied one in Mexican club soccer history.
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When Steven Moreira added the final goal amid seven minutes of stoppage time, he stood, crossed his arms and stared straight ahead as Club America fans started to steam for the exits. From the raw emotions felt from the loss of Zelarayan to the thrill of a comeback win, it was a memorable night inside the Crew's home field.
Tied at one near the midpoint of the second half, Club America started to put the screws on the Crew defense. In the 56th minute, and again in the 61st, the Eagles put the ball in the back of the net only to see each go-ahead goal negated by an offside call. Still pressing for that second goal, Leonardo Suarez’s attempt from the right side of the penalty area required every last inch of Crew goalkeeper Patrick Schulte’s 6-5 frame for him to get enough of a touch on the ball to make a diving save.
It also started a deadly counter for the Crew, one that led to Alex Matan sending the ball into the penalty area and a waiting Mo Farsi. The Crew defender timed his run, but he was unable to get much of an attempt on goal as Club America goalkeeper Luis Malagon came out to defend. Malagon then made contact as Farsi tried to turn, drawing a whistle and a penalty for the Crew.
As the Eagles protested, and Malagon pled his case to the referee, Hernandez held tightly to the ball and waited for his moment. Two minutes after the foul, Hernandez decisively buried the penalty kick for a 2-1 lead in the 69th minute.
It was nearly a disastrous start for the Crew, which was playing in front of a crowd that was, at best, neutral. Less than one minute in, Club America forward Julián Quiñones perfectly timed a run past the Crew’s back line and got off a point-blank shot at Patrick Schulte.
The goalkeeper, who did not play in the Leagues Cup opener against St. Louis City SC last week, was ready, however, and made the save – much to the dismay of the boisterous Club America cheering section behind him.
Club America finally broke through in the 29th minute, and it came on a set piece. Miguel Layún lined up a free kick from the left flank and several yards outside of the box and served the ball to the opposite side, where teammate Kevin Álvarez initially struggled to corral the ball. With no defenders pressuring him, though, Álvarez collected himself and fired toward the far post from just inside the right edge of the box.
This one squirted past a diving Schulte, setting off smoke bombs in the south stands and thundering chants from the Club America supporters. But what could’ve been a deflating moment instead helped galvanize the Crew – and Cucho Hernandez in particular. Having already been denied a goal when he bent in an attempt from the left side of the box that bruised the far crossbar, Hernandez paid tribute to his friend and now-former teammate when he beat Luis Malagon in the 41st minute.
The goal came less than a moment after the scoreboard showed Zelarayan watching from a suite. As the lights flashed, Hernandez rushed to the western sideline, pointed to where Zelarayan was seated and made his half of their two-person heart symbol celebration before pointing to his friend and blowing a kiss.
Although Club America outshot the Crew 6-2, both teams headed into the half with one goal.
Club America’s passionate, sizeable fanbase did not disappoint. Hours before the opening kickoff, street vendors hawked jerseys and merchandise along every possible street leading to the stadium. Five minutes after the gates opened, more than a dozen fireworks shot high into the sky, one by one, somewhere in the vicinity of the southeast stadium plaza. And when the game finally got underway, drums pounded unceasingly and flags waved from a cheering section that touched seemingly every section of the stadium but was most heavily concentrated in the upper, westernmost portion of the south stands.
Crew coach Wilfried Nancy made three changes to the lineup that defeated St. Louis City SC 2-1 on July 23. Alex Matan started in place of Zelarayan, Schulte replaced Evan Bush in goal and Steven Moreira started in place of Gustavo Vallecilla at right center back.
Newly acquired midfielder Julian Gressel made his Crew debut as a substitute in the 71st minute.
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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Emotional Cucho Hernandez powers Columbus Crew past Club America
