LAFC win US Open Cup over Sporting Kansas City
LAFC have lifted a trophy again, capturing their first-ever US Open Cup title via Wednesday's 3-1 extra-time win over Sporting Kansas City.
Vancouver Whitecaps outlast Toronto FC to win Canadian Championship
Goalkeeper Isaac Boehmer powered Vancouver Whitecaps FC to a penalty shootout victory over Toronto FC in Wednesday's 2024 Canadian Championship final at BC Place. This marks Vancouver's third straight CanChamp title and secures a 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup berth for head coach Vanni Sartini's team.
Club América win 2024 Campeones Cup over Columbus Crew
Club América are 2024 Michelob Ultra Campeones Cup winners. América got the better of Columbus in penalty kicks after battling to a 1-1 draw in the annual showdown between the reigning MLS and LIGA MX champions.
Three trophies were lifted last night. Let’s talk it out.
It looked for a moment like Sporting KC might have this in them. Erik Thommy’s 60th-minute equalizer induced an increasing feeling of anxiety in LA. A fifth straight loss in a final felt closer by the minute. As this one went to extra time, a nerve-wracking penalty shootout began to seem like the likely outcome.
Instead, Omar Campos, the U22 left back who arrived this offseason from Santos Laguna, cut in on his right foot at the top of the box in the 102nd minute and delivered his first-ever LAFC goal. Moments later, Kei Kamara, 18 years’ Campos’ senior with many, many more goals under his belt, delivered the final blow.
LAFC exorcised some demons here. Or at least held off even more demons from coming in. I’m not sure what another final loss would have done to their psyche - especially a final loss to an SKC side that’s already eliminated from Audi MLS Cup Playoffs contention - but I’m going to guess it wouldn’t have been anything good heading into the final stretch of the season. I’m sure extra time and the celebrations after had to be a little bit cathartic.
I’m not sure if that means they’ve sorted out all the issues that led to five straight winless MLS games before this. Sporting KC mostly ran step-for-step with them before extra time. Are two extra time goals at home enough to be considered a get-right moment?
We’ll find out. In the meantime, they can take solace in both a trophy and that Olivier Giroud had his most productive game since joining LAFC. He scored what we’ll call a “controversial” opener and collected 1.38 xG worth of chances on four shots in 67 minutes. They’ll need more of the same from him to win MLS Cup.
Now, LAFC have to regroup quickly. They head to Cincinnati on Saturday on tired legs, with a potential post-trophy hangover a real possibility. Sporting KC’s season is effectively over.
This one went to penalties without a goal despite Toronto earning a penalty in the 38th minute. Vancouver keeper Isaac Boehmer shut down Federico Bernadeschi’s effort from the spot, his first but not last penalty save of the night. He stopped Kosi Thompson in the penalty shootout and the Whitecaps rolled to their third consecutive Canadian Championship.
Three straight says something about the 'Caps, who struck gold with Brian White and DP attacker Ryan Gauld and have been one of the West’s better sides ever since. But it also says something about Toronto, who won four of five Canadian Championships from 2016 to 2020, and haven’t won one since. CF Montréal even picked up one of these in that span.
Anyway, congrats to the Whitecaps on three straight. There’s no real reason to expect anything but four straight next year. They’re simply on a better trajectory than the rest of the Canadian sides right now.
The Crew were on track to go full Crew here. In the end, they came up agonizingly short.
Malte Amundsen equalized less than 10 minutes after Club América opened the scoring. At that point, I just kind of assumed the Crew would find a late winner. I’ve seen movies like that one before. It didn’t come this time though.
In the subsequent shootout, it looked like the Crew were dead after Aziel Jackson had his attempt saved in the sixth round. But Patrick Schulte stepped up in a do-or-die moment to make a save of his own. At that point, I just kind of assumed the Crew would go on to win the shootout. I’ve seen movies like that one before. Unfortunately, Amundsen couldn’t deliver a second time and sent his penalty off the crossbar. América converted the next penalty to claim Campeones Cup for the first time.
There aren’t any larger takeaways to have from this one on a team level. We knew that both sides would be up for this match and they were. We knew that both sides had a ton of talent and they showed that. Sometimes you go to a penalty shootout and you lose and that’s all there is to say. The Crew will have take solace in their MLS Cup and Leagues Cup titles, I guess.
In a broader sense, Campeones Cup feels a little more viable these days. Past editions have felt like an exhibition. This felt like a game with stakes. We’ll see if that continues if this involves teams that aren’t an all-time successful Crew side and the biggest club on the continent, but the vitals for this game are good right now.
Seattle Sounders sign Ragen to contract extension: Seattle Sounders FC have signed center back Jackson Ragen to a contract extension through 2027 with an option for 2028. Ragen, 26, has tallied 84 appearances for Seattle over the past three seasons. He often anchors the Sounders' defense alongside Yeimar.
Charlotte FC sign Byrne to contract extension: Charlotte FC have signed right back Nathan Byrne to a contract extension through 2026 with an option for 2027, the club announced Wednesday. The 32-year-old English defender has appeared in 63 matches since Charlotte signed him in August 2022.
MLS Cup 2023 champions Columbus Crew to visit White House: This Friday (Sept. 27), the Columbus Crew will visit the White House in recognition of their MLS Cup 2023 presented by Audi championship. Columbus downed LAFC, 2-1, last December for their third league title and second in the past four years. Star forward Cucho Hernández was named MLS Cup MVP presented by Audi.
- Take a look at who can clinch a playoff spot this weekend.
- Here are all the teams that have qualified for next year’s Concacaf Champions Cup.
- Evander won this week’s AT&T Goal of the Matchday.
Good luck out there. Get over the yips.
