Crew SC visits Providence Park on Sunday to take on the Portland Timbers in the first match of the 2016 season. Leading up to kickoff, here are some important things to know about the match-up.
CREW SC TO FACE PORTLAND FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 2015 MLS CUP
This weekend begins the 21st Major League Soccer regular season for Columbus Crew SC. It is the seventh all-time regular-season meeting between the two clubs, with the Black & Gold holding a 2-2-2 all-time record against Portland in the previous six contests. Crew SC is 0-1-2 all-time at Providence Park. This match also pits last season’s two conference champions against one another for the first time since the 2015 MLS Cup.
LAST REGULAR-SEASON MEETING
On September 26, 2015, Kei Kamara scored his 22nd goal of the season, but Portland won at MAPFRE Stadium behind two goals from Fanendo Adi.
LAST THREE REGULAR-SEASON MEETINGS
07/07/2013: CLB 1 vs. POR 0 W MAPFRE Stadium
05/17/2014: CLB 3 at POR 3 D Providence Park
09/26/2015: CLB 1 vs. POR 2 L MAPFRE Stadium
NEW FACES
This week, Crew SC announced the signings of midfielder Marshall Hollingsworth as well as goalkeeper Matt Pacifici. Hollingsworth (41st overall) was a 2016 MLS SuperDraft selection by the Black & Gold; both players participated in the duration of preseason training camp with Crew SC. Over the offseason, Crew SC also added Ola Kamara, Rodrigo Saravia, Amro Tarek, Conor Casey, Emil Larsen and Corey Ashe. A full breakdown of all Crew SC transactions can be found at http://bit.ly/TransactionTracker1516.
CREW SC LOOKING TO BUILD ON 2015 SUCCESS
A two-match winning streak for the Black & Gold to close the 2015 regular season gave the club a final 2015 regular-season record of 15-11-8 (53 points), which represented the second-highest point total in club history. Last season’s point total was only surpassed by the 2008 season (17-7-6, 57 points), the year that the Black & Gold won MLS Cup and the first major professional championship for the city of Columbus.
DESERT DIAMOND CUP REVIEW
During the 2016 preseason, Crew SC participated in the Desert Diamond Cup in Tucson, Arizona. The Black & Gold secured three draws en route to an 0-1-3 mark over the duration of the tournament. Forward Kei Kamara notched three goals to earn the “Copper Boot” award as the tournament’s top scorer.
CREW SC OFFENSE IN 2015 AMONG BLACK & GOLD’S BEST-EVER
In the 2015 regular season, Columbus Crew SC’s 58 goals scored was the third-highest single-season total in club history and the most that the Black & Gold have recorded in a single campaign since 1998. Crew SC scored 67 goals that year as well as 59 in its inaugural season of 1996. Under Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter, Crew SC has scored at least 50 goals in back-to-back seasons for the first time in overall club history
KAMARA’S RECORD-SETTING REGULAR SEASON
Forward Kei Kamara set several Black & Gold regular-season records last season, including: most shots, single season (135); most shots on goal, single season (57); and most game-winning goals, single season: (7). In addition, Kamara finished one behind Stern John’s 1998 campaign for the most combined goals and assists in one regular season (John: 26-5--31, Kamara: 22-8--30), as well as four goals behind John for the most single-year regular season tallies in Black & Gold history. For his work in the Central Ohio community and with charitable organization Schools for Salone, the Crew SC forward also captured the 2015 MLS Humanitarian of the Year Award, presented by Advocare.
21 MULTI-GOAL GAMES SET NEW BLACK & GOLD MARK IN 2015
During the 2015 MLS regular season, Crew SC notched 21 matches with two or more goals, setting a new all-time club record for the most team multi-goal performances. The Black & Gold recorded 19 multi-goal performances in 1996 and 1998 to tie for second place. During the MLS Cup championship year of 2008, Crew SC registered 17 multi-goal performances, the same number it had in 2014 during Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter’s first season.
WHERE TO WATCH/LISTEN
Sunday’s 4:30 p.m. ET start is available via national television on ESPN. Adrian Healey, Taylor Twellman and Monica Gonzalez are set to have the call of the match. Locally, the contest is available via the radio in English on CD102.5 FM and in Spanish on La Mega 103.1 FM. Neil Sika and Dwight Burgess are set to have the call of the match on CD102.5, with Juan Valladares on the microphone on La Mega 103.1. A complete list of places to catch the Black & Gold on TV is available here. The game can be watched internationally via the following: M. East & N. Africa, Abu Dhabi Sports / China, LETV / Doha, Australia, Thailand, Hong Kong, BeIN Sports (ASIA AUS) / Indonesia, Philippines, BeIN Sports (ASIA) / Taiwan, Sportcast / Africa, FOX / Europe (exl UK & Eire), Eurosport / UK & Eire, Sky Sports / UK, SNTV.
VIEWING PARTY
Crew SC supporters in Columbus can watch the match at the Official Crew SC Opener Watch Party at Land-Grant Brewing beginning at 4:30 p.m. ET on Sunday. For supporters 21-and-over, the party features the full launch of Land-Grant’s “Glory” beer, a Crew SC-themed American Wheat Ale voted upon by supporters.
