LAST THREE REGULAR-SEASON MEETINGS
05/30/2015 CLB 2 at ORL 2 D: Camping World Stadium
08/01/2015 CLB 2 at ORL 5 L: Camping World Stadium
07/23/2016 CLB 2 vs ORL 2 D: MAPFRE Stadium
WHERE TO WATCH/LISTEN
Saturday's 7:30 p.m. ET start is available via regional television on The CW Columbus, Time Warner Cable SportsChannel and BCSN2. Neil Sika (play-by-play), 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 7 p.m. ET with Chris Doran, and “Crew SC Post-Match” immediately follows the action only on TWCSC and BCSN2. The CW Columbus' broadcast begins at 7:30 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.
WATCH: Gregg Berhalter on #ORLvCLB
WATCH: Ethan Finlay on #ORLvCLB
WATCH: Mohammed Saeid on #ORLvCLB
CREW SC BEGINS STRETCH VS. EASTERN CONFERENCE WITH ORLANDO
On Saturday, September 17, Columbus Crew SC travels to Camping World Stadium to take on Orlando City SC. The two teams last met at MAPFRE Stadium on July 23, 2016 where they played to a 2-2 draw. All-time, Columbus is 1-1-2 against Orlando, including a 0-1-1 mark at Camping World Stadium.
PREVIEW: #ORLvCLB
LAST REGULAR-SEASON MEETING
On July 23, 2016, Crew SC hosted Orlando City SC at MAPFRE Stadium for the fourth all-time regular-season meeting between the two clubs in a match that ended in a 2-2 draw behind goals from Tony Tchani and Ola Kamara.
Three Things to Know: Orlando City SC
KAMARA NOTCHES 11TH GOAL AGAINST WHITECAPS FC
In Crew SC's last regular-season match, last weekend hosting Vancouver Whitecaps FC at MAPFRE Stadium, forward Ola Kamara scored his first goal in six matches by opening the scoring. Kamara has now registered 11 goals in 16 starts for the Black & Gold, leading the team in goals scored. The goal came from a curling corner kick from teammate Mohammed Saeid as Kamara was able to get his foot in the air and connect cleanly to volley the ball into the back of the net.
SAURO SEES ACTION AGAIN
Following his return to the starting lineup at the StubHub Center on September 3, Crew SC defender Gaston Sauro remained in the starting lineup for last weekend's contest at MAPFRE Stadium against Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Playing for the first time since May 21 at Toronto FC, Sauro recorded 45 minutes in a start at centerback in LA and played the full 90 minutes against Vancouver. Defender Nicolai Naess, acquired by Crew SC on July 21, 2016 as a Discovery Signing, started at centerback for the injured Sauro on August 13, August 20 and August 27.
AFFUL, MERAM, TCHANI RETURN AFTER INTERNATIONAL DUTY
Last week, four Crew SC players returned from playing for their respective national teams: Harrison Afful (Ghana), Justin Meram (Iraq), Rodrigo Saravia (Guatemala) and Tony Tchani (Cameroon) all earned caps for their countries. Afful, Meram and Tchani all returned to the Crew SC starting lineup in the match against Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
CREW SC RECORDS 15+ SHOTS IN 3 STRAIGHT MATCHES
In Crew SC's last three MLS matches — vs. Vancouver, at LA and vs. San Jose — it has recorded at least 15 shots in each of the three matches, a total of 50 shots. Dating back to July 23, 2016, the Black & Gold recorded at least 10 shots in each of their eight matches for a total of 123 shots, fifth most in MLS behind D.C. (9 games, 147), Montreal (9 games, 137), New England (10 games, 135) and Toronto (9 games, 129) over that span. Crew SC has played at least one less game than all four teams ahead of them in shots the League average in shots per game during this stretch was 11.2 per contest.
CLARK APPROACHING 100 REGULAR-SEASON STARTS
By starting last weekend vs Vancouver, Crew SC goalkeeper Steve Clark made his 95th career Major League Soccer regular-season start and appearance. Clark has started every regular-season match for Crew SC since his arrival to the club prior to the 2014 season. Nearing the century milestone, Clark would become just the second goalkeeper in Columbus history to make 100 regular-season starts, joining William Hesmer (130). Should the goalkeeper continue his streak of starting every Crew SC match, he would hit the milestone on Thursday, October 13 at Chicago. With 34 career regular-season victories, Clark is also one win shy of tying Jon Busch for second place in all-time club history at 35.
FINLAY NEARING 30-30 STATUS
With 28 career regular-season goals and 26 career regular-season assists, Crew SC midfielder Ethan Finlay is two goals and four assists shy of reaching "30-30" status for his MLS career. Finlay would become just the fifth player in Crew SC history to reach that total for the club. Should he reach the milestone, he would join Brian McBride (62 goals, 45 assists for Columbus), Jeff Cunningham (64 goals, 44 assists), Guillermo Barros Schelotto (33 goals, 41 assists) and Federico Higuain (39 goals, 35 assists) in the 30-30 club.
PARKHURST LEADS ALL MLS DEFENDERS IN SUCCESSFUL PASSES
Among all League defenders, Michael Parkhurst has completed the most passes during the 2016 regular season, with 1,175. Teammate Harrison Afful ranks fifth in the League in the category, with 984.
BLACK & GOLD LEAD MLS IN PASSING ACCURACY
According to Opta, Crew SC currently leads all of Major League Soccer in passing accuracy, having recorded an 82.42 percent completion rate through 27 regular-season matches. Columbus also leads the League in completed passes per match, at 400.33, as well as ranks second in attempted passes per match, at 485.70.
