Cucho Hernandez ruled out for Columbus Crew vs Orlando City, missing third straight match

The Crew will be without striker Cucho Hernandez for a third straight match, as coach Wilfried Nancy confirmed that the team's leading scorer will be unavailable against Orlando City SC on Saturday.

Hernandez missed last week's two matches due to a back injury and has been absent from training.

"[It's] week-to-week," Nancy said. "And sizing up a good opportunity and what is best for him and the team."

The match at Orlando will be the Crew's final game before they compete in the CONCONCAF Champions Cup final. Columbus will take on Liga MX's CF Pachua in Pachuca, Mexico, on June 1.

Hernandez has scored four goals in MLS regular-season play and two during the Champions Cup. Hernandez also has a good track record in Orlando, scoring one of Columbus' two goals in overtime of the team's last meeting in the MLS Cup playoffs.

The Crew's Cucho Hernandez has scored four goals in MLS regular-season play and two during the Champions Cup.
The Crew's Cucho Hernandez has scored four goals in MLS regular-season play and two during the Champions Cup.

This will be the sixth game Hernandez has missed this season, as he was given a two-game team suspension earlier in the season and missed a match against Real Salt Lake after receiving a red card against D.C. United.

bmackay@dispatch.com

@brimackay15

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Cucho Hernandez out for Columbus Crew vs Orlando City SC match

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