Columbus Crew Stun Pumas in Dramatic Leagues Cup Shootout – Highlights, Final Score & What’s Next

Columbus Crew edged Pumas UNAM 1-1 (3-2 on penalties) at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field on 11 August 2026, sealing top spot in their Leagues Cup group and an automatic berth in the knockout rounds. Tarun Karumanchi’s glancing header put the hosts in front after just nine minutes, but Pumas leveled on the stroke of half-time through Álvaro Angulo. Despite Columbus owning 61 percent possession and firing 23 shots, Keylor Navas’s late heroics kept the Liga MX side alive and forced the decisive shootout. In the tiebreaker, substitute goalkeeper Nicholas Hagen turned instant hero for the Crew, stopping Guillermo Martínez and Nathan Silva while Chase Adams, Lautaro Giaccone and Rudy Camacho converted their spot-kicks. The 3-2 shootout win extends Columbus’s unbeaten run in all competitions to seven matches and guarantees them home-field advantage in the Round of 32. Mohamed Farsi was a constant menace down the right flank, creating a game-high four chances, while Camacho anchored a back three that limited Pumas to just three shots on target. Head coach Wilfried Nancy praised his squad’s depth afterward, noting the impact of academy products Adams and Taha Habroune in high-pressure moments. For Pumas, the result ends their Leagues Cup campaign with just one point from three matches. Manager Gustavo Lema will now turn his focus back to Liga MX, where the UNAM outfit sits mid-table. Key takeaways for supporters and fantasy managers: • Columbus Crew clinch Group C with eight points (two wins and one shootout bonus). • Hagen’s two shootout saves push him into early Leagues Cup Golden Glove conversation. • Karumanchi, 19, scores his second senior goal in as many appearances. Next up, Columbus host the Round-of-32 clash on 17 August, while Pumas enjoy a 10-day break before visiting Pachuca in league play. Fans looking for tickets to the Crew’s knockout fixture can check availability starting Thursday via the club’s official site. With momentum, home support and knockout seeding secured, the defending MLS champions suddenly look like dark-horse contenders to lift the revamped Leagues Cup trophy.