Columbus Crew top Club León to stay in Leagues Cup fight | OneFootball

By Justin Horneker

The Columbus Crew showed the heart of a champion to keep their Leagues Cup 2025 hopes alive.

Last year's tournament winners entered Tuesday’s Phase One finale knowing they needed a victory to have any chance of advancing to the quarterfinals.

Wilfried Nancy’s side delivered on part one of that equation, beating LIGA MX's Club León 1-0 at Lower.com Field in a thrilling match with goal differential on the mind.

“It’s not easy,” Nancy reflected post-match. “We start a game that, you know, you have to win, but you also have to score a lot of goals.

"It’s difficult to tell that to my players, so that’s why I’m really proud of what they did.”

Gutsy win

The Crew stayed hungry without desperately pushing forward, not letting frustration take over despite being able to capitalize on their big chances in the first half.

However, Max Arfsten rescued the day in the 53rd minute. With León pinned down defensively, the 24-year-old US men's international calmly ran onto the ball and curled his shot past Oscar Jiménez for the breakthrough.

Up a goal, Columbus kept their foot firmly on the gas as they chased a needed second, leaving themselves vulnerable in the back.

But goalkeeper Patrick Schulte was sharp, making a vital second-half stoppage-time save to extinguish the danger.

Schulte bounces back

Schulte's game-saving stop proved especially poignant, following an uncharacteristic error from the USMNT 'keeper in the Crew's Leagues Cup opener, which led to a penalty-kick shootout loss to Toluca.

However, the 24-year-old definitively turned the page on Tuesday with a standout performance in a must-win match. Schulte’s three saves, including two inside the box, kept the Crew alive at crucial moments through the second half.

“This is the story of a goalkeeper,” Nancy said. “He made a save in the 89th minute that if he doesn’t make it, we are dead. I am happy for him; he deserves it.

"I am a big, big fan of Patrick Schulte.”

Staying alive

Championship pedigree was on full display as tensions rose during the final minutes. Nancy took pride in his squad as cooler heads ultimately prevailed.

As the whistle blew, the French manager huddled together with his group of exhausted players, happy with the effort and intensity.

“I don’t do it often. I didn’t plan it, I was walking to sing with the fans. [...] I wanted to tell them that I was proud of them,” Nancy said.

Columbus finished Tuesday on top of the MLS side of the Leagues Cup table, but advancing is far from a given with several teams yet to play their final Phase One matches.

Only the top four teams per league move on, and there are several MLS squads within striking distance. As things stand, the Crew will need help from LIGA MX contingent to keep them there.

Columbus Crew beat León to keep Leagues Cup quarterfinal hopes alive