COLUMBUS, Ohio — Cucho Hernandez and Yaw Yeboah scored in the first half and the Columbus Crew held on to beat defending champion LAFC 2-1 on Saturday to win their third MLS Cup.
The Crew added the title to their championships in 2008, when they beat the New York Red Bulls, and 2020, when they defeated the Seattle Sounders. Columbus lost to the Portland Timbers in the 2015 title game.
Only the LA Galaxy (five) and D.C. United (four) have won more titles.
Los Angeles was looking to become the fourth MLS team to win consecutive titles.
Hernandez scored in the 33rd minute and Yeboah added a goal in the 37th. Denis Bouanga scored for LAFC in the 74th.
First-year coach Wilfried Nancy was pleased how the Crew finished the match.
"Obviously, really happy because of the second half we knew there would be a difficult moment and the way we were able to enter this difficult moment, that's why we won," Nancy said. "Yes, we play a good first half and I am so happy because the most important thing for me was not to win, was to be ourselves and my players did it."
Hernandez, voted the MVP of the match, put Columbus up 1-0 on a penalty kick. He deposited the ball in the lower left corner for his fifth goal in six playoff matches this season. He is 9 for 9 from the spot in all competitions in his Crew career.