Columbus vs. LAFC live stream, schedule, preview: Watch MLS Cup Final online

Here we are. It all started in February. 29 teams. All filled with hope. Now, more than nine months later, two remain with a chance to call themselves the champions of Major League Soccer. Steve Cherundolo's LAFC return to MLS Cup for the second consecutive campaign to take on the quite resilient Columbus Crew in the Buckeye State on Saturday evening.

The side from the City of Angels has outscored its postseason opponents 9-2 and picked up two successive clean sheets to punch a ticket back to MLS Cup. Ryan Hollingshead and Denis Bouanga have combined to score seven of those goals. Bouanga netted back-to-back game-winners in the playoffs against the Vancouver Whitecaps and the Seattle Sounders away from southern California.

Wilfried Nancy's Crew went on the road not once but twice this postseason. The No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference took both challenges head-on, grinding out two results in extra time. In Orlando, the Black and Gold netted two after regulation, but it is what the Crew did in Cincinnati that has MLS fans amazed.

When league MVP Luciano Acosta curled his shot into the bottom right corner just before the halftime whistle, Columbus had a long long way back. For Nancy's team, it wasn't that long. When you have players like Cucho Hernandez and Diego Rossi, your ball club is never out of it. A brilliant Cucho assist finished off by Christian Ramirez sent the Crew back to its first final since 2020. The last time the club was there, we all know what happened. Lucas Zelarayan happened. Since coming over from CF Montréal, Nancy has revived this team, instilling what many are now calling "NancyBall" into this franchise.

It's possession-based football against one that loves to concede the ball and hit its opponent on the counter-attack. You all know that saying. Opposites attract. In this case, these two contrary styles are bound to create something special on the pitch. It's an MLS Cup that has all the makings to be one of the best. One cannot imagine how loud Lower.com Stadium is going to be after two straight road fixtures.

The clubs have competed three times in MLS play in the past with Columbus falling short on each occasion. In fact, LAFC has outscored the Crew 7-0 in those competitive fixtures. Gear up. Get your popcorn popping. Invite your friends over. This is a contest you'll want to have a front seat to.

How to watch Columbus Crew vs. LAFC in MLS Cup

• Date: Saturday, Dec. 9

• Kick-off time: 4:00 p.m. EST

• Location: Columbus, Ohio

• Stadium: Lower.com Stadium

• TV info: FOX

• Live Stream: Apple TV