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    • Club America defeats Columbus Crew on penalties to win the Campeones Cup
    New Jersey

    Club America defeats Columbus Crew on penalties to win the Campeones Cup

    Seren Anwen Posted on

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    It’s hard to overstate how big Club America is. They’re like the New York Yankees, but in a bigger city, with a bigger stadium and a bigger trophy cabinet. When you play against Club America, you’re not just playing against a team, you’re playing against a whole country.

    The Crew played against Mexican giants Club America on Wednesday night and it was a feast for the senses. Club America has tens of millions of fans and it felt like half of them were milling up and down Nationwide Boulevard in the lead-up to the Campeones Cup. At kickoff, the new Crew Stadium was packed to the rafters and at least half the crowd was cheering on the visitors.

    “Aguilas,” they chanted. The Eagles.

    “Columbus,” replied the crew fans.

    The three-syllable chants merged into one. It was crazy.

    This was a match between the number 1 ranked club in CONCACAF (Columbus) and the number 3 ranked club (America, the continent’s most victorious team). It was an exciting affair, filled with the color, joy and spirit of our soccer-mad neighbors to the south. And the northern corner that loves the stuff was at its best too.

    Regular time ended in a 1-1 draw. According to the rules concocted for this made-for-TV event between the reigning MLS Cup and Liga MX champions, there was no extra time. It went straight to a free kick, with a highly capricious referee.

    Club America won 5-4 in the seventh round. America defender Nestor Araujo slammed the winning shot into the right post. Crew goalkeeper Patrick Shulte caught the shot with his hand, but it was so fast that it couldn’t be saved.

    Shortly before, Crew defender Malte Amundsen, who scored the home team’s only goal in regular time, had hammered his shot onto the crossbar. America goalkeeper Luis Malagon was obviously away from his goal, as several photos from the north corner showed.

    Malagon was the man of the match.

    “I’m just devastated,” said Amundsen. “It’s hard to put into words right now. Some would say that’s life, and it goes up and down. Sometimes the wind is with you, sometimes against you. Today it was against you.”

    Team coach Wilfried Nancy praised FIFA referee Walter Lopez for his comprehensive instructions before the free kick – the ball had to be placed exactly on the spot and the goalkeeper could move sideways but not forwards. In this context, Nancy was annoyed that the referee did not award another free kick when Malagon left the goal line before Amundsen’s free kick.

    “The referee said it didn’t affect the shot,” Nancy said. “So, I don’t know. But the rules are the rules are the rules.”

    According to Law 14 of the International Football Association Board, there is a certain subjectivity when a goalkeeper leaves his line: “The shot shall only be retaken if the goalkeeper’s infringement clearly influenced the shooter.”

    The bottom line is that the team needs to beat Club America the way it beat Tigres and Monterrey on its way to the CONCACAF Champions Cup final last spring, or the FIFA referees will come into play, which is never a good thing.

    It was a terrific game between two attacking teams that play similar three-man defenses. Club America had much more possession in the first half and frustrated the Crew. The score was 0-0 at halftime. Then the momentum changed. The Crew had the better chances in the second half, but either the finishing was missing or Malagon was missing. When Diego Rossi laid his head on the pillow on Wednesday night, he no doubt had visions of his missed chances – and Malagon’s.

    America scored in the 68th.th Minute on a counterattack. Striker Victor Davila, who was substituted in the second half, got behind the Crew defense and finished a 50-yard run by beating Schulte one-on-one. The Eagles fans were beside themselves. The Crew answered in the 77th.th Minute after a corner. Rossi’s cross was headed to the far post by Christian Ramirez and Amundsen was there to fire the ball into the net with an overhead kick. The Crew fans were beside themselves with joy.

    The Crew pushed for the decisive goal in the closing stages – including three minutes of stoppage time, which Nancy viewed as a meager addition – but the shootout was inevitable.

    “We lost the game,” Nancy said. “I told (the players) we won the MLS Cup and we learned from it. We lost the final in Pachuca and we learned from it. At the end of the day, we lose and we learn. The message was always to tell them I’m proud of them. In two or three days, we’ll move on.”

    The Crew will visit the White House on Friday and play at DC United on Saturday.

    They have accomplished a lot in the last 10 months – MLS Cup and Leagues Cup championships, second-place finishes in the Champions Cup and Campeones Cup. Their task now is clear: catch FC Cincinnati for second place in the Eastern Conference or Inter Miami for the Supporters’ Shield if that is possible, which is probably not the case.

    Now, their focus is on securing a place in the playoffs as they look to defend their MLS Cup.

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    Seren Anwen
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