Cucho Hernandez and Yaw Yeboah scored in the first half and the Columbus Crew held on to beat LAFC 2-1 on Saturday to win their third MLS Cup.

The Crew added the title to their championships in 2008, when they beat the New York Red Bulls, and 2020, when they defeated the Seattle Sounders. Columbus lost to the Portland Timbers in the 2015 title game.

Only the LA Galaxy (five) and DC United (four) have won more titles.

Los Angeles was looking to become the fourth MLS team to win consecutive titles.

Hernandez scored in the 33rd minute and Yeboah added a goal in the 37th. Denis Bouanga scored for LAFC in the 74th.

Hernandez put Columbus up 1-0 on a penalty kick. He deposited the ball in the lower left corner for his fifth goal in six playoff matches this season. He is nine for nine from the spot in all competitions in his Crew career.

LAFC defender Diego Palacios was whistled for a handball off his right arm at the top of the box, setting up the penalty.

The goal was the first allowed by LAFC in four matches.

Yeboah doubled the lead when the Crew, the highest-scoring team in MLS in the regular season, when Malte Amundsen threaded a pass through to Yeboah on the left flank on the last of 11 passes in the build-up.

From there, Yeboah dribbled to the goal box and slipped a shot past goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau.