CREW SC LOOKING TO CONTINUE RECENT SUCCESS AGAINST CHICAGO
Columbus Crew SC plays its 20th Major League Soccer (MLS) regular-season match in 2015 and its 10th away from MAPFRE Stadium by traveling to Chicago to face the Fire at Toyota Park on Wednesday, July 15. This is the second of three matches scheduled between Columbus and Chicago this year, as well as the first of two this week alone. Set to be the 54th all-time regular-season meeting between the two, Crew SC has a lifetime record of 14-24-15 against the Fire but has gone unbeaten against Chicago over its last four clashes (2-0-2). The Black & Gold have drawn their last two encounters with the Fire and won the two before that. Overall, Columbus has not lost to Chicago in MLS play in over two calendar years, with the club’s last defeat to the Fire coming on June 22, 2013 at MAPFRE Stadium.
LAST REGULAR-SEASON MEETING
On May 22, 2015, Crew SC and Chicago drew by a 2-2 final score in the first meeting of the season between the two clubs at MAPFRE Stadium. Kei Kamara notched a brace for Columbus, his eighth and ninth goals of the year, with four different Black & Gold players registering assists in the draw.
PARKHURST MAKES 50TH BLACK & GOLD START
In Crew SC’s last contest, on Saturday, July 11, at Montreal, Captain and defender Michael Parkhurst made his 50th all-time start for the club. Parkhurst, who joined Columbus prior to the 2014 campaign, has made 51 appearances for Crew SC. In his MLS career, Parkhurst has 165 starts. The defender is tied with teammate Kei Kamara for 39th all-time in starts among all active MLS players. The leader is Real Salt Lake’s Kyle Beckerman, who has 340 MLS starts.
TRAPP PLAYS 45 MINUTES FOR CREW SC, IS ONE APPEARANCE SHY OF 50
At Montreal, Crew SC Vice-Captain and midfielder Wil Trapp played the full second half after coming on at halftime as a substitute. It was the most minutes Trapp has played in his three appearances (all competitions) since returning from concussion symptoms in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 at Orlando City SC (June 30). Trapp, along with defender Tyson Wahl, is one regular-season appearance away from reaching 50 with Crew SC.
DYNAMIC DUO
Kei Kamara and Ethan Finlay have combined for a total of 32 goals and assists, which tops Major League Soccer ahead of any other club’s leading duo by seven. Toronto FC’s Sebastian Giovinco and Jozy Altidore have combined for 25 goals and assists, while two separate League duos have paired up for 24.
WHERE TO WATCH/LISTEN
Saturday’s 8:30 p.m. ET start is available locally on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel. “Crew SC Matchday” on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel begins at 8:00 p.m. ET. Dwight Burgess, Neil Sika and Ashleigh Ignelzi are set to have the call of the match at 8:30 p.m. ET.
A complete list of places to catch the Black & Gold on TV is available here.
Fans can also listen to the match on the radio on Crew SC’s English language radio partner CD 102.5 FM or in Spanish on La Mega 103.1 FM.
