LAST THREE REGULAR-SEASON MEETINGS
07/15/2015 CLB 1 at CHI 0 W: Toyota Park
07/19/2015 CLB 3 vs. CHI 1 W: MAPFRE Stadium
03/19/2016 CLB 0 at CHI 0 D: Toyota Park
TICKETS: #CLBvCHI
PREVIEW: Crew SC faces Chicago Fire in regular-season home finale
THREE THINGS TO KNOW: Chicago Fire
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), Dante Washington (analyst) and Marisa Contipelli (sideline) are set to have the call on the match. On Time Warner Cable SportsChannel and BCSN2, “Crew SC Matchday,” the exclusive pre-match show, starts at 7 p.m. ET with Contipelli and 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. 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. Internationally, the match can be viewed via the following: Abu Dhabi Sports, BeIN Sports Australia, Eurosport.
LAST REGULAR-SEASON MEETING
Crew SC and Chicago played to a 0-0 draw in their first meeting of the 2016 regular season, on March 19, 2016 at Toyota Park.
CRAFT BEER & TICKET BUNDLE
For this match against Chicago, supporters can take advantage of the Craft Beer and Ticket Bundle. The deal includes a match ticket and two craft beers for supporters 21-and-older.
CHICAGO VISITS COLUMBUS FOR FIRST & ONLY TIME IN 2016
The Chicago Fire are set to play at MAPFRE Stadium in their lone visit to America's first soccer-specific stadium in this contest during the 2016 regular season. This is the second of three regular-season meetings this year overall between these two clubs, with the third and final meeting coming as part of Crew SC's next contest, on Thursday, October 13. Columbus is 10-10-7 against the Fire in overall regular-season play at MAPFRE Stadium all-time. That also includes a record of 3-0-1 in the Fire's last four visits to Central Ohio.
CREW SC CONTINUES 7-MATCH STRETCH OF EASTERN CONFERENCE OPPONENTS
This match is the fourth of seven consecutive matches for Crew SC against Eastern Conference opponents to conclude the 2016 regular season. Following this match, the Black & Gold travel to Bridgeview, Illinois to meet the Fire on Thursday, October 13. Then, Crew SC travels to face the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena before finishing the regular season on October 23 at Yankee Stadium against New York City FC.
TRAPP RETURNS TO THE STARTING LINEUP
Against D.C. United on Wednesday, in Crew SC's last match, Columbus Homegrown Player Wil Trapp made his return to the lineup, starting and playing 90 minutes. The Gahanna native missed the past four matches due to concussion symptoms after starting the first 25 matches of the Black & Gold regular season.
BLACK & GOLD CAN SET SINGLE-SEASON SELLOUTS RECORD AT MAPFRE STADIUM
In Crew SC's last home match, on September 25 against New England, the attendance of 20,012 represented the fifth sellout of the 2016 regular season at MAPFRE Stadium, tying an all-time club record for regular-season sellouts at MAPFRE Stadium previously set in each of the 2014 and 2015 campaigns. Columbus has 27 all-time regular-season sellouts at MAPFRE Stadium, with 15 coming in the last three seasons combined. Crew SC can break its all-time club record for single-season home sellouts at MAPFRE Stadium with the final home regular-season contest, this match against Chicago.
MERAM RECORDS 150TH MLS REGULAR-SEASON APPEARANCE
Columbus Crew SC veteran midfielder Justin Meram registered his 150th career appearance for the Black & Gold in the club's last match, at D.C. United on September 28. Meram ranks eighth in all-time appearances in Crew SC history, sitting 10 games played behind Robert Warzycha and 11 behind Brian McBride. The Michigan native was selected 15th overall in the First Round of the 2011 MLS SuperDraft by Columbus. He has scored 23 goals and has notched 22 assists in his 150 appearances for the club.
KAMARA BECOMES 6TH CREW SC PLAYER TO REGISTER 15-GOAL CAMPAIGN
By recording 15 goals in the 2016 regular season, Crew SC forward Ola Kamara has achieved a feat previously accomplished by just five other players in Black & Gold history.
WAHL ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT FOLLOWING 2016 SEASON
Earlier this week, Crew SC defender Tyson Wahl announced his intention to retire at the conclusion of the 2016 season. Wahl, a veteran of 11 years in MLS, has compiled 160 regular-season appearances (138 starts) over the duration of his career. A native of Newport Beach, California, the defender has spent the past four seasons in Columbus. The defender won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with Seattle in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
CLARK TIED FOR MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER LEAD IN SAVES
Following Crew SC's last match, at D.C. United on Wednesday, September 28, goalkeeper Steve Clark is part of a three-way tie atop the Major League Soccer leaderboard in total saves. Clark is tied with Portland's Jake Gleeson and Orlando's Joe Bendik in the category, at 109. Clark is just five saves shy of tying his single-season MLS best, which was 114, registered last season.
BLACK & GOLD CONTINUE TO LEAD MLS IN PASSING ACCURACY
According to the League's official statistician, Opta, Crew SC currently leads all of Major League Soccer in passing accuracy, having recorded an 82.39% completion rate through 30 regular-season matches. Columbus also ranks second in the League in completed passes per match, at 395.83, as well as second in attempted passes per match, at 480.47
FINLAY NEARING 30-30 STATUS
With 29 career regular-season goals and 28 career regular-season assists, Crew SC midfielder Ethan Finlay is one goal and two 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.
CLARK APPROACHING 100 REGULAR-SEASON STARTS
By starting against D.C. on Wednesday, Steve Clark made his 98th 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.
CREW SC AMONG MLS' BEST IN POSSESSION, CHANCES CREATED PER MATCH
According to the League’s official statistician, Opta, Columbus Crew SC ranks second in the League in possession (55.58%) and third in MLS in chances created per match (10.57). Columbus is one of eight clubs in the League averaging over 10 chances created per match.
