Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy has led the MLS side to their first Leagues Cup title following a gutsy 3-1 victory over Los Angeles FC at Lower.com Stadium on Sunday, August 26, 2024.
It was an all-MLS Leagues Cup final clash as the two teams locked horns for the crown in the second edition of the continental club championship in North America.
There was a lot to play for between the two sides. Having shared the MLS Cup between themselves in the past two years, they did not only wrestle for the bragging rights in North America but also on the domestic front.
A win for Los Angeles FC would have been a decent vengeance on Columbus Crew who unseated them last year to emerge MLS champions.
Columbus Crew Vs Los Angeles FC 2024 Leagues Cup Final Recap
The 20,731 Lower.com Stadium in Ohio was filled to capacity as Columbus Crew traded tackles with LAFC for the continental crown. With a dominant start to proceedings, Columbia Crew looked set to ease to a deserved victory.
Despite wielding over 60% of the possession, it took the home side the last touch of the ball in the first half to break the deadlock. 25-year-old Colombian striker Cucho Hernandez scored exactly in the 45th minute to give Columbus Crew the lead.
In the 57th minute, LAFC clawed their charges back into proceedings. Former Arsenal forward, who just joined the club from AC Milan this summer, Olivier Ground, opened his goal account scoring the leveler for the 2022 MLS champions.
The game nearly ended in a draw as LAFC successfully foiled countless attempts by Columbus Crew to retake the lead. However, a dramatic turnaround in stoppage-time saw the dominant hosts finally put LAFC to the sword.
Cucho Hernandez scored two minutes into stoppage time to restore Columbus Crew’s lead. Two minutes later, 21-year-old Canadian striker Jacen Russell–Rowe sealed the win with a stunner to make it 3-1.
The victory saw the Black and Gold emerge 2024 Leagues Cup champions, wrestling the title from Inter Miami, who won the maiden edition of the tournament last year.
Columbus head coach Wilfried Nancy’s impressive record with Columbus Crew at Lower.com Stadium
Columbus Crew’s victory over LAFC adds to the team’s impressive home record under the watch of head coach Wilfried Nancy. The 47-year-old French tactician has made the curved arch at Ohio a fortress for Columbus Crew and a nightmare for visiting teams.
Under his watch, the team has recorded a staggering 29 wins and 12 draws in 43 games across all competitions at the Stadium. Their first defeat under the Le Havre-born manager came against Inter Miami on April 30, 2023, in the Leagues Cup clash. A brace from Camapana canceled out Cucho Hernandez’s 10th-minute goal to hand the Herons a famous victory.
On May 12, 2024, the team recorded their first MLS defeat in over a year and a second at the Lower.com stadium under Nancy Wilfried. They lost 2-1 to Cincinnati. Goals from Kelsy and Acosta canceled out Afstern’s lone strike for the home side.
Wilfried Nancy’s managerial career
Wilfried Nancy, born in Le Havre, France, did not have a great playing career but is acing it in the dugouts as manager. He played as a defender from 1995 to 2005 across clubs in France before taking up managerial role in 2011.
Nancy began his managerial career with Montreal Impact Academy in 2011. After four years with the development squad, he was promoted to assistant manager with the first team in 2016.
He climbed up to the apex coaching role at the club, becoming the team’s head coach in 2021 after five years as assistant manager. Notably, Nancy replaced French compatriot and Arsenal legend Thierry Henry as CF Montreal Manager.
He spent just a year as CF Montreal’s manager, took charge of 79 games, won 37, drew 17, and lost 15. In 2022, he was appointed Columbus Crew head coach following a promising spell with CF Montreal.
Wilfried Nancy Achievements With Columbus Crew
Nancy got off the mark in his first year as Columbus Crew manager. He led the team to finish third in the MLS table. The next year he would win the MLS Cup for the team, becoming the first black manager to do so.
The 2024 Leagues Cup is his second silverware with the Ohio-based outfit. Overall, he has won 41 of his 81 games with the team, drawing 21, and losing 16.
Wilfried Nancy’s Style of Play
Wilfried Nancy is known for his ‘special’ and ‘attractive’ style of play. The former CF Montreal coach plays a fluid, possessive, and attacking 3-4-2-1 formation.
Here, he relies heavily on his creative midfielders as pivots to create chances and lead offensives. When under pressure, the team quickly reverts to a 5-4-1 style with wingers linking up with the backline to provide enough cover. While this style has proven effective for Columbus Crew, it is heavily reliant on the synergy and understanding between the players, including their creative capacities.
