There’s no escaping the heat this weekend as Columbus Crew SC heads south for Saturday’s clash with Orlando City SC. And the key to a successful trip for the Black & Gold will be to stay cool in what is expected to be a fired-up Citrus Bowl.
In their two previous regular-season matchups, Crew SC and the Lions combined for eight yellow cards, two reds and 64 fouls. They also split seven goals, with Columbus winning the first contest 3-0 at MAPFRE Stadium on April 18 and earning a point in a 2-2 draw at the Citrus Bowl on May 30.
After a 2-0 loss in the U.S. Open Cup a month later, Crew SC makes its way to the Citrus Bowl for the third time this year. If the two previous visits are any indication, the Black & Gold will have to drown out a raucous hometown crowd.
“The Citrus Bowl is a fun place to play,” defender Hector Jiménez says. “As a professional athlete, you always want to play in those stadiums, so it’ll be a lively game and hopefully we can go there and get a good result.”
With Columbus looking to earn its second road win of the season, keeping calm and carrying on will be the mantra heading into the Citrus Bowl on Saturday.
“Credit to their fan base – they make it a pretty hostile place to play and I know other teams have felt that when they’ve gone in there,” midfielder Ethan Finlay says. “So we have to stay composed and know that we’re all together, we’re all in the moment, and be ready for the physical battle that it’s going to be.”
Having faced Orlando three times already this year, Crew SC has a certain level of familiarity with the expansion side.
“They are a good team,” Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter says. “Obviously we know a lot about them. We know they are good in possession. They have one of the better players in the League in Kaká, who’s extremely dangerous now. With [Cyle] Larin scoring like he is, he’s dangerous and a big threat as well.”
Crew SC and Orlando play with similar formations and have a similar attacking philosophy, which should make for yet another entertaining match.
“We know it’s going to be a tough game, but on the same side, they like to play,” Berhalter says. “We know they are not going to sit in a defensive shell and they are going to come out and really like to attack us. Those are the type of games we enjoy.”
MLS All-Star Finlay has enjoyed the previous matches vs. the Lions, having recorded two assists. He says both teams are ready for their fourth matchup of the season.
“We have some familiarities in the style that they play and that we play, so I think the best part about that is that we know what to expect going into the game,” Finlay says. “They’re going to be ready to play and ready to get a win at home.”
While eighth-placed Orlando City is looking to gain ground in the Eastern Conference playoff race, Crew SC aims to close the gap on first-place D.C. United and break away from the rest of pack. In short, there’s a lot on the line at the Citrus Bowl on Saturday.
“Anytime you play an Eastern Conference team you want to get maximum points,” Berhalter says. “Having said that, we know it’s going to be difficult. We know they’re a good team. We know they have great home support. So it’s not going to be easy, but our focus is on getting a result.”
Follow Saturday’s action live on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel, CD 102.5 or La Mega 103.1.
