By The Numbers | Crew host Philadelphia Union in Leagues Cup semifinal

Charlie Hatch

After advancing via a penalty shooutout on Saturday night, the Columbus Crew return to Lower.com Field on Wednesday night to host the Philadelphia Union in a Leagues Cup Semifinal clash.

Numbers to Know

4 – We’re down to four teams in the competition, and each one of them resides in MLS. While Columbus and Philadelphia meet in the Ohio capital, the Colorado Rapids and LAFC meet on the other side of the bracket. No matter what happens Wednesday, it’s important to note the Crew will host someone on Sunday. At best, it’s the Leagues Cup Final; the other game would be the Third-Place Match with a spot in next year’s Concacaf Champions Cup on the line. But going back to Wednesday… the Black & Gold arrive in the semi having produced comeback wins in the past two games. In the Round of 16, the reigning league champions rallied to beat Inter Miami CF, 3-2. Next came Saturday’s shootout win over New York City FC.

2 – It’s no secret to Crew supporters just how good Cucho Hernández and Diego Rossi have been in 2024. Don’t forget that other MLS fans feel the same way, too. In the last 11 games across all competitions, the South American duo has combined for 18 goals and 13 assists. Cucho has 10 goals, including the equalizer against NYCFC on Saturday night. As for Rossi, he scored a brace in the Round of 16 match against Miami. Time and time again, every Black & Gold player has stepped up under head coach Wilfried Nancy. There’s no reason to think it won’t be at least one of these attacking playmakers on Wednesday.

10a – The Eastern Conference standings don’t mean much during Leagues Cup, but we’ll keep using them as a reference point. The Union sits 10th in the Eastern Conference with 27 points from 25 games. As for this competition, though, Philadelphia has played five matches to date. After beating Charlotte FC, 1-0, in the opening match, the Union was defeated via penalty shootout against Cruz Azul. Next came a home win over CF Montréal and a 4-2 drubbing of FC Cincinnati at TQL Stadium. As for the side’s quarterfinal match, it ended 1-1 and same the Union won in the shootout against Mazatlán FC. Historically, Columbus and Philadelphia play each other closely, so there’s no reason to think this won’t be the same Wednesday night.

10b – Dániel Gazdag, Philly’s No. 10, will be the opponent’s player to watch. Through 110 league appearances since 2021, Gazdag’s got 54 goals and 24 assists. Sticking to league action in 2024, he already has 14 goals and two assists in 21 games. With more than double the number of goals as the second-highest Union goal scorer, the 28-year-old is the side’s biggest threat. Having said that, he’s been held to one goal in Leagues Cup action.

When They Last Met

The Crew and the Union drew, 1-1, on Sept. 30 last season at Lower.com Field. Nathan Harriel put the visitors in front before a Cucho penalty to seal a draw. These teams were supposed to meet this Saturday, but the match was rescheduled for Aug. 28 for obvious reasons!