By The Numbers | Crew hosts Monterrey in Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal

Charlie Hatch

Who’s ready to witness history

For the first time in the club’s 29-year-history, the Columbus Crew will play in the Concacaf Champions Cup semifinals on Wednesday night at Lower.com Field when the Black & Gold host CF Monterrey in leg one of the semifinals.

Numbers to Know

1a – As mentioned, this is the first time the Crew have advanced this far in the continent’s biggest tournament – and they’ve gotten here in style. After beating Houston Dynamo FC in the Round of 16, Columbus faced Liga MX side Tigres UANL in the quarterfinals. They tied in leg one, but then the Crew advanced via a penalty shootout in the second leg in Mexico. It was the first time the Crew advanced to the semis, and it was the first time an MLS team advanced to the next round by winning a penalty shootout in Mexico. Impossible is an opinion, right?

1b – Wednesday night marks a Massive night in Crew history you won’t want to miss, but it’s just the start of this two-leg semifinal. Consider it the game that sets the tone for this matchup, as a strong result sets up an easier second leg at Rayados next Wednesday – still no easy task. As we saw with the Crew scoring late in Houston, there’s plenty to play for in leg one. And as the last MLS team remaining in the competition, all eyes are on Central Ohio to see if Columbus can be the second-ever MLS team to win Concacaf Champions Cup.

4 – Monterrey isn’t a stranger to Crew supporters. One of the continent’s biggest powers is coming to Lower.com Field with momentum. In Liga MX play, Rayados are fourth in the Clausura standings, but its Concacaf Champions Cup journey has been ruthless. In the Round of 16, it comfortably beat FC Cincinnati, the 2023 MLS Supporters’ Shield winners. Next came Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF, and again, Monterrey controlled both legs and rolled into the semis. So, that sets the stage for the club to test itself against the MLS Cup winners.

23 – We meet again, Brandon Vazquez. For four seasons, Brandon Vazquez helped lead the FC Cincinnati frontline as the club went from Wooden Spoon winners to Eastern Conference contenders. Well, now he plays for Monterrey and has been in blistering form. In six Concacaf Champions Cup appearances, he has four goals. In seven Liga MX appearances, he has five goals. Ten goals from 13 matches are Cucho-like numbers. So, let’s see what he’s got when he returns to a stadium where he never won as an FCC player. Hopefully, that continues with Rayados.

When They Last Met

In 2021, the Columbus Crew advanced to the quarterfinals of the competition before getting knocked out by Monterrey. On April 28, 2021, the Crew and Monterrey tied, 2-2, at Historic Crew Stadium, as Milton Valenzuela and Lucas Zelarayán scored for Columbus to keep the sides level after leg one. Fortunes changed in the second leg, as Columbus lost, 3-0, the following week. Monterrey went on to win the competition