Cucho Hernandez starred as Columbus Crew secured a 2-1 victory over Monterrey from Mexico in the first leg of their CONCACAF Champions Cup semi-final clash held in Ohio on Wednesday.
The Colombian forward, Hernandez, showcased an exceptional performance highlighted by a well-executed goal in the first half, giving Columbus a narrow lead heading into the return leg in Mexico next week.
Jacen Russell-Rowe sealed the win for Columbus with a header from a corner in the 72nd minute, responding after Maximiliano Meza had equalised for Monterrey shortly after halftime.
The reigning Major League Soccer champions, who previously stunned Tigres in the quarterfinals, demonstrated once again their superiority against Liga MX opponents.
While Monterrey threatened early on with chances from US international Brandon Vazquez, Columbus took control for much of the game, with Hernandez orchestrating numerous attacks.
Although Hernandez came close to setting up a goal for Diego Rossi and nearly scoring himself, it was his decisive finish in the 26th minute that put Columbus ahead.
Despite Monterrey's equaliser by Meza in the 58th minute, Columbus regained the lead when Russell-Rowe connected with a corner kick from Sean Zawadzki.
The second leg is scheduled to take place in Monterrey next Wednesday.
