The Major League Soccer Eastern Conference final is set to be an Ohio showdown as Columbus Crew and FC Cincinnati secured victories in Saturday's semi-finals.
In a hard-fought encounter, Columbus Crew triumphed 2-0 in extra time against 10-man Orlando City, with Christian Ramirez and Cucho Hernandez scoring crucial goals. The crew dominated for large parts of the match and capitalised on Orlando's defensive resilience, especially after Rodrigo Schlegel's 78th-minute red card.
FC Cincinnati secured their spot in the conference final with a contentious late stoppage-time winner from Yerson Mosquera, clinching a 1-0 victory over the Philadelphia Union. The match was tightly contested, and Cincinnati's top-seed status in the MLS playoffs was maintained as Mosquera's goal, despite VAR scrutiny, stood.
Columbus Crew's Wilfried Nancy made a strategic substitution, bringing on Ramirez for extra time, and it paid off within two minutes. Ramirez, seizing an opportunity created by midfielder Aidan Morris, slotted the ball into the net, securing the lead. Hernandez's remarkable goal from over 50 yards out in the second period of extra time sealed the 2-0 win for Columbus.
Meanwhile, FC Cincinnati, the Supporters' Shield winners for the best regular-season record, faced a challenging match against the Philadelphia Union. The game seemed destined for extra time, but in stoppage time, Alvaro Barreal's delivery was headed down by Ian Murphy to Mosquera, who netted the winner.
Despite controversial moments, including VAR-reviewed decisions, both the Columbus Crew and FC Cincinnati earned the right to compete in the Eastern Conference final. The victories set the stage for an exciting all-Ohio clash as they vie for a spot in the MLS championship.
In Sunday's Western Conference semis, Houston will host Sporting Kansas City, while defending champions Los Angeles FC will travel to face two-time champions Seattle Sounders.
