Columbus Crew SC has officially clinched a spot in the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs, returning to the postseason for the second time in as many seasons under Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter. With one regular-season contest remaining, the MAPFRE Stadium regular-season finale against D.C. United on Sunday, October 25, Crew SC is assured of finishing no lower than sixth place in the Eastern Conference by virtue of its win against Toronto FC at BMO Field earlier this afternoon. The win against the Reds also earned the Black & Gold the 2015 Trillium Cup rivalry series between the two clubs for the sixth time in eight seasons.
Final postseason seeding will be determined in the coming week as the Black & Gold (14-11-8, 50 points) conclude the regular season along with all other MLS clubs next Sunday. The Playoff Plan, which includes tickets to each potential match held at MAPFRE Stadium through the Eastern Conference Championship, continues to be available at ColumbusCrewSC.com.
PLAYOFF PLAN INFO: http://bit.ly/PlayoffPlanInfo
This season, six teams qualify from each conference for the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs. The two winners from the Eastern Conference Knockout Round, featuring matches between the third and sixth seeds as well as the fourth and fifth seeds, advance to face the first and second seeds in the Semifinals, with the lowest advancing seed from the Knockout Round facing the first seed.
IN THE POSTSEASON: Updated Eastern Conference standings available at http://bit.ly/CrewSCstandings
2015 marks the 13th all-time postseason berth for the Black & Gold as well as the sixth berth for the club in eight seasons, a streak that began in 2008, a year that Crew SC won the first professional championship for Columbus by capturing that season's MLS Cup.
By guiding Crew SC to a berth in the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs, Berhalter becomes the third coach in club history to qualify for the postseason in each of his first two full seasons, joining Tom Fitzgerald (1997, 1998) and Robert Warzycha (2009, 2010). Berhalter, however, is the only coach in team history to achieve that feat without the benefit of previous interim experience prior to taking the reins of the club for a full season.
NATIONAL BROADCAST SCHEDULE: http://bit.ly/2015PlayoffsBroadcast
Ticket information for Crew SC’s regular-season finale against D.C. United on Sunday, October 25 is available at ColumbusCrewSC.com.
