Los Angeles FC defeated the visiting Houston Dynamo 2-0 in the Western Conference final on Saturday night, with Ryan Hollingshead scoring his third goal of the playoffs shortly before halftime.

LAFC advanced to their second consecutive MLS Cup final with a second goal on Houston defender Franco Escobar’s own goal.

Los Angeles will travel to Columbus to face the Crew, who had the most points in the MLS regular season and defeated FC Cincinnati in the Eastern Conference final earlier Saturday.

Maxime Crepeau came up with five saves to send No. 3 LAFC past fourth-seeded Houston, who made the playoffs for the first time since 2017.

Crepeau’s performance was enough to help LAFC defeat a Dynamo squad that had swept both regular-season encounters between the rivals. Los Angeles may potentially become the first team since the LA Galaxy in 2011 and 2012 to win consecutive MLS Cups.

Six days earlier, Escobar scored the game-winning goal for Houston in a 1-0 conference semifinal victory over Sporting Kansas City.

After the elimination of Cincinnati, the 2023 Supporters’ Shield champion, the 2023 U.S. Open Cup-winning Dynamo became the second trophy recipient to lose on Saturday.

The Black and Gold enjoyed the majority of the first half’s chances through open play, but a set piece put them ahead in the 44th minute.

Giorgio Chiellini won the first header from Carlos Vela’s right-wing corner kick, forcing Steve Clark into a lunging save that he couldn’t hold.

Hollingshead charged in from the back post and was the first to grab the loose ball, pushing it past Clark and into the net.

In the 66th minute, Vela and Denis Bouanga forced Clark into two stops.

Bouanga then played Diego Palacios into a promising position along the left side in the 80th minute, and Palacios drove in a low cross.

Escobar slid to try to clear the danger and instead turned it into his own net, possibly sensing pressure behind him.