Cucho Hernandez’s 40th-minute goal put Columbus in a comfortable position, and the Crew advanced in the CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals after a 1-1 draw with the visiting Houston Dynamo on Tuesday.
The Crew wound up winning the two-leg, total-goal series 2-1. Columbus, the reigning MLS Cup champion, moves on to face either Orlando City or Tigres UANL, who were set to conclude their series later Tuesday night.
Griffin Dorsey converted a 90th-minute penalty kick for the Dynamo, who would have advanced on the away-goals tiebreaker if they had managed another goal.
Late in the first half Columbus’ Christian Ramirez sent a long pass to Hernandez on the left flank. Hernandez cut inside in the 18-yard box, then sent a shot between the legs of a Houston defender and past goalie Steve Clark at the near post.
Near the end of regulation, the Crew’s Steven Moreira was whistled for a handball in the penalty area. Dorsey then fired a right-footed shot into the upper left corner.
In addition to the Orlando-Tigres finale at San Nicolas de los Garza, Mexico, the Philadelphia Union and Pachuca were set to finish their series in Pachuca, Mexico.
–Field Level Media