CREW SC VISITS NATION’S CAPITAL FOR SECOND TIME IN 2015
Columbus Crew SC plays its 30th 2015 Major League Soccer regular-season match and its 15th on the road by visiting D.C. United on Saturday, September 19. This is the second of three regular-season meetings between the two clubs this season. Crew SC and D.C. United are currently separated by just one point in the Eastern Conference standings and are slated to play again in the Black & Gold’s regular-season finale in Columbus on October 25.
LAST REGULAR-SEASON MEETING
On May 2, 2015, Crew SC visited RFK Stadium for the first time this season, falling to D.C. by a 2-0 final as Steve Clark made two saves and Federico Higuain notched four shots.
CREW SC CAN CLINCH POSTSEASON BERTH
With both a victory in this match against D.C. United and a win or draw by the Chicago Fire against Orlando City SC, Columbus would clinch a berth in the Audi presents the 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs. Should Crew SC qualify for the postseason, it would mark the 13th all-time playoff appearance for the Black & Gold as well as the sixth berth for the club in eight seasons. That streak began in 2008, a year that also Crew SC won the first professional championship for Columbus by capturing that season’s MLS Cup.
BLACK & GOLD CONCLUDE ROAD SWING
Following a 2-1 victory at Philadelphia last weekend, this match at RFK Stadium concludes a two-match intra-Conference swing for Crew SC. Columbus has experienced success on the road of late, going 4-1-0 over its last five away contests. Since the first victory in that stretch, on July 15 against Chicago, no other League club has won more than two road games.
HIGUAIN ONE APPEARANCE FROM 100
By starting and playing 90 minutes last weekend at Philadelphia, Crew SC midfielder Federico Higuain made his 99th appearance for the club. The Argentine’s next appearance will be his 100th for the team since signing as a Designated Player on July 27, 2012. Should he reach the milestone, he would become the 23rd player to ever hit the mark in Black & Gold, as well as the third active member of the club to do so, joining Justin Meram (116 appearances) and Tony Tchani (104).
AHEAD OF THE PACE
With five matches to go in the 2015 regular season, Crew SC’s record of 12-9-8 (44 points) is ahead of last season’s mark to this point in the year, which was 10-9-10 (40 points). Crew SC currently ranks fourth in the Eastern Conference but sits just two points out of the top spot. The current Conference leaders are the New England Revolution (46 points, 29 games played), who sit ahead of the New York Red Bulls (45 points, 27 games) and D.C. United (45 points, 29 games).
BERHALTER IS CREW SC’S ALL-TIME POINTS-EARNED PERCENTAGE LEADER
This weekend is set to be Crew SC Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter’s 64th all-time regular-season match at the helm of the Black & Gold. Berhalter’s career regular-season record of 26-19-18 gives him a points-earned percentage of 50.8%, which is the highest career mark of any coach in club history.
KAMARA SECURES SECOND 20-GOAL SEASON IN BLACK & GOLD HISTORY
By scoring his 19th and 20th goals of the 2015 MLS regular season last weekend at Philadelphia, forward Kei Kamara secured just the second 20-goal campaign in Crew SC history as well as the first since 1998. Forward Stern John scored 26 goals that year, which is the all-time single-season club record. Kamara is one of 16 players to ever hit the milestone in the history of the League, via Matthew Doyle and MLSsoccer.com.
