It wasn't easy, but in the end, the Columbus Crew got the job done.
By virtue of a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union on Sunday, the Black & Gold assured themselves a home beginning in their 2014 MLS Cup Playoff quest.
The exact seed and opponent will be determined by virtue of tonight's Sporting Kansas City-New York match, but whether it comes in the Knockout Round or in the Conference Semifinals, the Crew has guaranteed that an MLS Cup Playoff game will be played in Columbus for the first time since November 6, 2010.
"I think that’s fantastic," said goalkeeper Steve Clark on hosting a home Playoff match. "The past two-and-a-half months we have been excellent at home. We are going to ride that wave."
The Crew showed tremendous grit in overcoming a performance that was admittedly not its best, according to Wil Trapp. After conceding to Zach Pfeffer in the 85th minute to tie, Bernardo Anor got on the end of a Tony Tchani rebound and won the match for the Black & Gold in the 90th minute.
"It was important, no question, especially the way we did it," said Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter. "Not playing our best game but still able to grind it and in the end still able to get the victory. We have to credit the Philadelphia Union for coming here and giving us a tough game, they didn’t lie down at all. Their season was over and they came into the game to get something out of it. So I think it’s a good test for us and certainly there are some things that we are able to work on for the postseason."
The Black & Gold have done everything in their power to get to this position. They closed the season on a ridiculous 10-3-2 tear to earn the right to have at least one home MLS Cup Playoff match at Crew Stadium, a place where, incidentally, the club is also on a 6-0-0 streak. Now, it's up to Sporting Kansas City and New York to cement the opponent and the circumstances, but one thing's for sure: the Black & Gold aren't satisfied.
"Right now for me, I’m not getting nostalgic," said Trapp. "It’s about playing well tomorrow, it’s about recovering tomorrow, it’s one step at a time. I’m not satisfied. I’m not content. I want more. I think that’s the way it is. I think sometime in the offseason I might look back and be happy with what we have achieved but right now we’re not done and that’s the way I feel."
"It is really exciting," added Clark. "It has been our goal during the regular season to make the playoffs. I think the fans deserve it. The coaching staff deserves it, putting in the long hours and a lot of work to get us where we are now. And we [players] deserve it. It's been up and down at timea, but our body of work throughout the whole season has been enough to get us where we are now.
"When you get to the Playoffs, it’s anybody’s game."
