![]() Gressel then won two Canadian Championships with the Vancouver Whitecaps this year before being traded to the Crew and picking up his second MLS Cup.įrom MLS-experienced winners like Nagbe and Gressel to the lesser-known squad players, Nancy got more out of nearly every player on the squad.Īlexandru Matan was seldom used then loaned to a Romanian club last year, before winning a starting spot in preseason. Gressel played with Nagbe at Atlanta United as a key piece of squads that won the 2018 MLS Cup and the 2019 U.S. Gressel, too, continues to add to his trophy cabinet. The Crew celebrate their MLS Cup title (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) With the win, he became one of nine players with four or more MLS Cups all-time, and one of three such players to do so with three or more teams. Saturday night was his fourth MLS Cup triumph, his second with his hometown Crew. The Liberian-born onetime USMNT midfielder has been the extension of Nancy and the staff on the field, both in his perfect tactical fit and his leadership. In that, Nancy may have the perfect captain at his disposal in Nagbe. Nancy’s ability to transmit that courage to his players is a big part of the reason behind the Crew’s 2023 success – as is his players’ ability to take it all on. “Without courage, you can’t do anything.” “There’s one virtue for me in life: Courage,” Nancy said the day before the game. Overall, they held 61% possession and created better chances (2.1 xG vs. Before Denis Bouanga scored LAFC’s lone goal, it seemed much more likely the Crew would score one or two more than LAFC getting back in the game. We do what we do.”Ĭucho Hernandez - who was named MLS Cup MVP - gave the Crew the lead from the penalty spot in the first half, then a beautiful Malte Amundsen through ball set up Yaw Yeboah for the second goal.Ĭolumbus was dominant in the first half and much of the second half as well. “Even at halftime tonight, Nancy said keep doing what you’re doing,” said midfielder Sean Zawadzki, a supplemental roster player who surprisingly came on for club captain Darlington Nagbe and helped close out the game as LAFC pushed for an equalizer. “I know this sounds arrogant, but the way we play and prepare- You see us on the weekend, but we got to see it every day.”ĭeep into stoppage time with their 2-1 lead over LAFC, the Crew were still playing with a high defensive line, and substitute forward Kevin Molino tried to dribble out of pressure in his own defensive third. “This year we felt at home: Today we are not losing,” assistant GM Issa Tall said. They ranked first in MLS in goals scored, (67), first in xG (57.7) and first in possession (57%). Nancy developed all players, young or old, star or bottom of the roster, domestic or international. To take risks, be unafraid to make mistakes, and win beautifully. The Crew way is to be brave, to be courageous. “As a coach, I want to see my team embrace adversity. “Listen, I’m really proud,” Nancy said after MLS Cup. In his first season with the club he helped lead a philosophical shift and instill a clear identity in the group, with a playing style even more distinctive than their bright yellow home kits. The achievement is all the more remarkable considering that Nancy was only officially unveiled as the Crew’s head coach 368 days ago. Nancy became the first Black head coach to win MLS Cup. “Impossible is an opinion,” Nancy said after the game. Today, he stands as the first Black head coach to win MLS Cup. At the final whistle, Nancy fell to his knees and embraced his coaching staff, having arrived at the pinnacle of a coaching career that started nearly 20 years ago in the amateur leagues of Quebec, Canada. True to their identity and bond, Columbus walked away as the 2023 MLS Cup champions, beating LAFC 2-1 in front of a club-record crowd at Field. Three finals, three losses: Was 2023 a success for LAFC?Īhead of the biggest match of the year, Nancy’s message to his team was clear: “Remember where you came from.”.Breaking down the Crew’s brilliant second goal.Takeaways A controversial PK, a neat finish, Bezbatchenko’s brilliance. ![]() ![]() This time, he said even less, surprising the players with pictures of them playing soccer as kids, adding some above each player’s locker as well. The Crew mounted a memorable comeback to beat rival FC Cincinnati on the road, coming back from being down 2-0 to host MLS Cup against LAFC.īefore MLS Cup, Nancy was again faced with a motivational moment.
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