Club América Triumphs in Campeones Cup with Dramatic Penalty Win Over Columbus Crew

In a thrilling conclusion to the 2024 Campeones Cup, Club América emerged victorious over Columbus Crew in a tense penalty shootout on Wednesday night. The match, held at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio, saw the reigning champions of the MLS and LIGA MX face off in a closely contested showdown that ended 1-1 in regulation time before América clinched the win with a 5-4 penalty result.

The game remained scoreless until the 68th minute when Víctor Dávila of Club América broke through the Columbus defense and located the net, putting the visitors in the lead. However, the Crew retaliated in the 77th minute with an equalizer from Malte Amundsen, who converted a flicked-on header at the back post.

The match went directly to penalties after the regular time ended in a draw. The shootout tensions lasted for seven rounds, with Club América’s Néstor Araujo securing the victory with the decisive kick. Goalkeeper Luis Malagón played a crucial role by making two key saves for América.

Despite their efforts, Columbus fell short, with Amundsen missing his penalty in the crucial sixth round amidst controversial circumstances; Malagón was seen to have left his line. However, the referees decided it was not a violation that affected the outcome.

Columbus Crew coach Wilfried Nancy acknowledged the challenge but expressed pride in his team’s efforts. “The goalkeeper was not on his line,” Nancy commented when addressing the penalty situation. “The referee, he said that … Sorry, I’m laughing, because the referee said that it didn’t affect the shot. So, I don’t know, the rules are rules.”

Club América’s victory in this sixth edition of the Campeones Cup filled their trophy cabinet with yet another accolade, leveling the all-time series between MLS and LIGA MX teams at three wins apiece. The result added to América’s illustrious history as one of LIGA MX’s most successful franchises.

The defeat marks yet another close contest for Columbus Crew, who have experienced a mixed bag of results following their 2023 MLS Cup triumph. With the possibility of two more titles still in their sights this season, the Crew look ahead to celebrating at the White House on Friday before critical fixtures against D.C. United and Inter Miami.