Columbus Crew SC goalkeeper Zack Steffen performed some timely heroics — including a sprawling save on a Bastian Schweinsteiger free kick — in Bridgeview, Ill., against the Chicago Fire on April 8. With four saves in the narrow, 1-0, defeat, the 22-year-old U.S. Youth International earned 38 percent of the post-match Twitter supporter vote to earn Week 6's Acura Man of the Match honors.
Steffen's heroics in the 76th minute on a free-kick attempt by Chicago midfielder and 2014 World Cup champion Schweinsteiger kept the match within reach.
"You can never really know where they're going with a free kick at that distance," Steffen told Crew SC play-by-play commentator Neil Sika and color analyst Dwight Burgess on Sunday's Inside Crew SC radio show. "It was kind of instinctual. A player of his stature, can do anything he wants when he wants. I was lucky enough to make the right move, stay patient and get a hand on his shot to save it. We definitely do film on the other team in preparation. At the end of the day, it comes down to the hard work on the field in that moment."
Steffen’s stat sheet also included three saves on shots from inside the box. Steffen has had two shutouts in the past four games for Crew SC in his first season as a starter in MLS.
He's one of only two Crew SC players to have played all 540 minutes of action.
Steffen and the Black & Gold defense have only allowed seven goals in six games this season.
The Black & Gold then return home for the first leg of the Trillium Cup against Toronto FC on April 15 for an 8 p.m. kickoff at MAPFRE Stadium.
