The Crew heads to New England for the second leg of the Eastern Conference Semifinals needing one of two things in order to advance outright: a win by three or more goals, or a win by two goals in which it scores at least five times. One additional result, a 4-2 win, would send the match to extra time and potentially penalties.
That sounds like a tall task, and it admittedly is. But the Black & Gold have done it before. Fourteen times, in fact, across club history.
Here's a look at the 14 previous road results in the all-time Crew record books in which the Black & Gold won by a scoreline that would at least send the match against New England to extra time:
<em>Date</em> |
<em>Opponent</em> |
<em>Score</em> |
<em>Crew Goalscorers</em> |
9/7/96 |
at Kansas City Wizards |
5-1 |
Carrera, Maisonneuve (3), Marino |
8/29/98 |
at LA Galaxy |
3-0 |
McBride, John (2) |
7/4/99 |
at Colorado Rapids |
3-0 |
Lapper, John (2) |
8/18/99 |
at MetroStars |
4-2 |
John (3), DeBrito |
5/27/00 |
at Miami Fusion |
4-2 |
McBride (2), Washington (2) |
8/18/02 |
at Kansas City Wizards |
4-0 |
Cunningham (2), Buddle (2) |
9/3/05 |
at Chivas USA |
3-0 |
Glen, Wolyniec (2) |
10/7/06 |
at Chicago Fire |
4-1 |
Gaven, Garey, Virtuoso, Ngwenya |
6/14/08 |
at Kansas City Wizards |
3-0 |
Marshall, Moreno (2) |
8/8/09 |
at San Jose Earthquakes |
3-0 |
Moreno, Rogers, Moffat |
10/15/11 |
at New England Revolution |
3-0 |
Mendoza (2), Duka |
3/2/13 |
at Chivas USA |
3-0 |
Higuain, Williams, Oduro |
9/29/13 |
at FC Dallas |
4-2 |
Higuain, Arrieta, Oduro, Anor |
3/8/14 |
at D.C. United |
3-0 |
Arrieta, Higuain (2) |
All 14 of these results have come in the regular season. All-told, the Black & Gold have played 316 matches on the road in either the MLS Regular Season or the MLS Cup Playoffs. The 14 such results that would get the job done this weekend implies a 4.43% chance of it happening in any singular match, all things equal.
Another interesting addendum: in the 14 previous matches, 10 of them have featured a member of the Black & Gold recording at least a brace.
In short? It can be done, and the Crew has done it before: once at New England, and once this season, at D.C. United.
