Schulte's Heroics Power Columbus Crew to Historic CCL Upset

In a night of redemption and glory, Patrick Schulte wrote his name into Columbus Crew folklore with a series of heroic penalty kick saves to help his side pull off a historic upset over Mexican giants Tigres UANL in the Concacaf Champions League quarterfinals.

The 23-year-old goalkeeper had been at fault for Tigres’ early goal that gave the Liga MX side a 2-1 aggregate lead on the night. But after Diego Rossi equalized in the 59th minute to force extra time, Schulte stood tall in the decisive penalty shootout.

His two brilliant saves proved to be the difference as Columbus prevailed 4-3 on spot kicks to book a semifinal date with either fellow MLS outfit Inter Miami CF or Liga MX’s CF Monterrey later this month.

“Patrick has been, again, I’m not surprised to be honest with you, because this is not easy what I’m asking to my players,” said an elated Wilfried Nancy, the Crew’s head coach.

“I’ve learned a lot today about what we can do, about the adjustments that I could have done better. But at the end of the day Pat deserved that. I’m not surprised because, you know, the first question that people ask me is, ‘Do you think that Pat is going to be able to keep going?’ And I say, ‘Why do you think like this?’ Let’s see. And he knows that he has to evolve and so I’m really happy for him because I can tell you that he was really, really disappointed when we conceded the [opening] goal.”

The dramatic victory caps a dream 2023 campaign for Columbus, who captured their second-ever MLS Cup trophy just months ago. Their continental exploits have added another glorious chapter, as they seek to become the first MLS side to lift the Concacaf Champions League since its rebranding in 2008.

Facing a daunting 2-1 deficit on aggregate after Mexican superstar Andre-Pierre Gignac had struck early for Tigres, Nancy’s men showed the championship mettle that had fueled their domestic triumph.

As he has done all season, Rossi proved the catalyst, his cool finish from a tight angle restoring parity on the night and sending the tie to extra time after the sides failed to find a winner in the additional 30 minutes.

From there, it was Schulte’s night to shine. Having endured the bitter disappointment of his early error, the young American seized his chance at redemption with two immense penalty saves to cap the Crew’s unforgettable 4-3 shootout triumph.

“That’s the way it’s been since the beginning when I took the team: It’s all about us,” Nancy stated. “We respect the opposition, we try to adjust certain things depending on what kind of style of play we’re going to face. But at the end of the day, we try to play our football. And today, yes, I’m really proud of the way we played.”

For Columbus, attentions now turn to the semifinals and a potential clash with Lionel Messi’s newly-assembled Inter Miami juggernaut or Monterrey, the same opponent they defeated in the 2021 Campeones Cup.

Whichever foe awaits, the belief within Nancy’s squad appears unshakable after their heroics against Tigres. Having conquered one Mexican giant, they will back themselves to go one step further in thepursuit of an unprecedented Concacaf crown.

“Yes, we are [MLS Cup] champions, but the idea is: Is it possible to seek improvement, all the time? All the time, all the time,” Nancy affirmed. “And tonight I’m really happy because, yes, we won. But to be honest with you, PK win or loss, it would have been the same for me. Because they believe in that. That’s why they are able to play the way they want to play, knowing that it’s not easy.”