The best goals from the Leagues Cup 2024 final and third-place match – ranked

The Leagues Cup final and third-place match saw four Major League Soccer teams combine to score stunning goals as the summer tournament drew to a close.

Columbus Crew and LAFC met once again at Lower.com Field in a 2023 MLS Cup rematch, as Wilfried Nancy’s side edged the Black and Gold behind a Juan ‘Cucho’ Hernandez brace. Youngster Jacen Russell-Rowe sealed the match in stoppage time, finishing off a brilliant team play by the Crew after Hernandez’s go-ahead goal moments earlier.

Outside of the final, the Colorado Rapids and Philadelphia Union met at Subaru Park to determine who would qualify for next year’s Concacaf Champions Cup alongside Columbus and LAFC. The Rapids would prevail on penalties, but still managed to score a pair of impressive goals in regulation time before winning in the shootout.

Here are the five best goals of the final of the Leagues Cup 2024 and the match for third place.

What a quick play by the Rapids!

Djordje Mihailovic’s clever pass set up Rafael Navarro to pass to Calvin Harris, who made no mistake from close range and finished calmly with a first-time effort.

Even with a 2-1 lead in the final moments of the final, the Crew were still looking to dominate and add another goal to secure the Leagues Cup title.

They did so after a fine counter-attacking move saw talisman Hernandez miss the chance to score a hat-trick and instead allow Russell-Rowe to score the match-sealing goal.

While Olivier Giroud probably would have preferred to lift a trophy on Sunday night, he did manage to score his first goal for LAFC and tie the game early in the second half.

The 37-year-old forward soared above the Columbus defenders to equalize and get his team back into the game, and he hopes it will be the first of many for him in an LAFC jersey.

What a goal, Oliver Larraz!

The defensive midfielder may not be well-known in Major League Soccer, but that could change after his stunning goal against the Union. Not even the great Andre Blake could stop the volley that helped propel the Rapids to victory in the penalty shootout.

Crew No. 9 Cucho Hernandez (not exactly a tall forward at 5’9″) managed to break free from his marker and score a header that gave the Crew the lead in the first half.

It was a perfectly placed header that was made possible by a lofted cross from Mohamed Faris, which left Hugo Lloris rooted to the spot.