Columbus Crew SC is heading to Quebec, Canada to face the Impact at Olympic Stadium for the first of three regular season matches against Montreal. Here's everything you need to know ahead of the Black & Gold's fifth match of the 2016 MLS regular season and the last match of its current three-game road swing.
LAST REGULAR-SEASON MEETING
On July 11, 2015, Montreal won by a 3-0 final score over Columbus at Saputo Stadium. Dominic Oduro scored twice and Marco Donadel added a tally for the home side.
LAST THREE REGULAR-SEASON MEETINGS
09/27/2014: CLB 2 vs. MTL 0 W MAPFRE Stadium
06/06/2015: CLB 1 vs. MTL 2 L MAPFRE Stadium
07/11/2015: CLB 0 at MTL 3 L Saputo Stadium
BLACK & GOLD EXPOSED TO OLYMPIC STADIUM FOR THE FIRST TIME
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, this is set to be Crew SC's first-ever appearance at Olympic Stadium. Columbus is 1-3-1 in the regular season at Montreal all-time, with all five contests coming at Saputo Stadium. The Black & Gold also played at Saputo Stadium in the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs.
POSTSEASON REMATCH ON TAP FOR CREW SC
This contest represents the first meeting between Columbus and Montreal since the two clubs faced off in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in last season's Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs. Columbus won the series on aggregate by a 4-3 final score to advance to the Eastern Conference Championship. In the First Leg, held at Saputo Stadium on November 1, 2015, Montreal won by a 2-1 final score. Columbus captured the Second Leg and the series following a 3-1 extra time victory at MAPFRE Stadium on November 8. The matchup was the first-ever postseason meeting between the two clubs.
STUVER, WAHL HAVE MONTREAL TIES
Two current members of Columbus Crew SC have ties to the Montreal organization. Defender Tyson Wahl spent part of the 2012 regular season in Montreal, playing 11 matches for the Impact. Meanwhile, although Brad Stuver never played a game for Montreal, he was acquired by Columbus via the Impact organization. The goalkeeper was selected fourth overall by Crew SC in the 2013 MLS Waiver Draft after Montreal made him the first goalkeeper selected in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft at 32nd overall.
CREW SC AMONG MLS LEADERS IN PASSING ACCURACY
According to the League's official statistician, Opta, through four matches in the 2016 Major League Soccer regular season, Columbus Crew SC ranks second in the League in passing accuracy at 81.6%, trailing Seattle Sounders FC by just .16%. Crew SC is also second in MLS in both passing accuracy in the opponent's half (75.7%) and passing accuracy in the final third (72.0%). In total, the Black & Gold have completed 1,649 of 2,021 passes on the year.
POSSESSION
Through four matches in the 2016 Major League Soccer regular season, Columbus Crew SC ranks third in the League in possession, according to Opta. The Black & Gold's possession percentage of 57.8% currently trails only New York City FC (62.0%) and Sporting Kansas City (60.0%). In 2015, Crew SC ranked second in Major League Soccer in the category, registering a possession percentage of 53.8%
SHOTS AND CHANCES
Through its first four regular-season contests, Columbus Crew SC has registered 57 attempts at goal and 48 chances created, or averages of 14.3 shots per match and 12 chances created per match, according to Opta. Both figures are top six League-wide, with Crew SC ranking second in all of MLS in chances created per contest.
BLACK & GOLD LOOKING FOR ROAD POINTS IN THREE STRAIGHT
After earning a road point in each of its last two road matches, Crew SC is looking to extend its streak of earning at least one point on the road to three consecutive contests. Columbus drew both Chicago (March 19) and FC Dallas (April 2) in each of its last two matches.
MABWATI MAKING IMPACT FOR CREW SC
Against FC Dallas, Crew SC midfielder Cedrick Mabwati entered the match as a substitute for the fourth consecutive contest. After five weeks of MLS play, the DR Congo international is one of seven players League-wide to make four appearances as a substitute this season. In that regard, Mabwati joins FC Dallas' Tesho Akindele and Mauro Rosales (who both came on as substitutes against Columbus last weekend) as well as Philadelphia's Fabian Herbers and Sebastien Le Toux, Montreal's Anthony Jackson-Hamel and D.C. United's Miguel Aguilar.
HIGUAIN GETS FIRST ASSIST OF 2016
Last weekend against FC Dallas, Federico Higuain's corner kick assist to Justin Meram was his first helper of the 2016 season. Higuain has registered four consecutive campaigns of at least seven assists dating back to 2012, when he first entered the League as a Designated Player with Columbus.
SAEID MAKES FIRST START
At Toyota Stadium last weekend, Mohammed Saeid made his first start of the 2016 season after starting 18 matches in his first year in Black & Gold in 2015 by completing 51 of 57 passes (89.5%), the native of Sweden led all Black & Gold starters in passing accuracy on the evening. He became the 13th different player to start a match this season for Crew SC.
WHERE TO WATCH/LISTEN
Saturday’s 4:00 p.m. ET start is available via regional television on FOX-28, Time Warner Cable SportsChannel and Buckeye Sports Network 2. Neil Sika (play-by-play) and Dwight Burgess (analyst) are set to have the call of the match. On Time Warner Cable SportsChannel and BCSN2, “Crew SC Matchday,” the exclusive pre-match show, starts at 3:30 p.m. ET with Chris Doran, and “Crew SC Post-Match” immediately follows the action only on TWCSC and BCSN2. The FOX-28 broadcast begins at 4:00 p.m. ET. Locally, the contest is available via the radio in English on CD102.5 FM and in Spanish on La Mega 103.1 FM. The English radio broadcast also is set to stream live on ColumbusCrewSC.com. A complete list of places to catch the Black & Gold on TV is available here. The game can be watched internationally via the following: Abu Dhabi Sports, BeIN Sports Australia, Eurosport, Sky Sports.
