Columbus Crew beat Seattle 3-0, win 2nd MLS Cup in franchise history

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The unprecedented 2020 Major League Soccer season ended with the Columbus Crew winning their second MLS Cup in franchise history by beating Seattle 3-0 Saturday night inside a mostly empty MAPFRE Stadium.

Columbus won its first MLS Cup since 2008 and first under Caleb Porter despite playing without two of its best players in star midfielders Darlington Nagbe and Pedro Santos who were out after testing positive for COVID-19.

Lucas Zelarayan, who was brought to Columbus on a record-breaking $7 million transfer fee in January, proved to be worth every cent scoring twice and contributing an assist while the Crew recorded their third-straight clean sheet of the postseason.

In the 25th minute, Harrison Afful delivered a beautiful pass to Zelarayan who snuck it in under the arm of Stefan Frei to give Columbus the first goal of the game in the 25th minute.

Zelarayan could have had his second goal six minutes later but passed up the shot, and instead passed to a wide-open Derrick Etienne Jr. who buried it in the 31st minute to give the Crew a 2-0 lead. Etienne got the start in place of Nagbe.

Zelarayan scored again in the 82nd minute on missile just outside the box to seal the win and clinch the MLS Cup.

Saturday was the last time the Crew will play a postseason game at MAPFRE Stadium as Columbus moves into its new stadium next summer.