Prior to returning to League play against the Colorado Rapids on Saturday, Columbus Crew SC will host Mexican First Division side Tiburones Rojos de Veracruz in an international friendly at MAPFRE Stadium at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.
For Crew SC Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter the friendly with Veracruz is a unique opportunity to gain valuable experience.
“It gives us a taste of a foreign opponent, potentially an opponent, if this team were to qualify for Champions League, playing against a Mexican opponent, and you see how your style can translate against that type of an opponent,” Berhalter says. “On top of that, to give guys that haven’t seen the field that often, give them game time as well. So it’s going to be helpful however you look at it.”
The “Red Sharks” come to Columbus as the defending Copa MX champions, having defeated club Necaxa 4-1 in the final a few weeks ago. In addition, Veracruz sits in 17th place in Liga MX's 2015-16 Torneo Clausura.
Since they’re coming to the end of their season here, I expect them to be in really good form, I expect them to be fit,” Crew SC goalkeeper Brad Stuver says. “I think that they’re going to come in and give us a really good game. They’re going to try to press us, and they know we try to play out of the back.”
This will be the 20th international friendly the Black & Gold have participated in all-time. And when it comes these friendlies, the experience is about much more than what the scoreboard reads after the final whistle. It’s an opportunity to evaluate players on Crew SC’s squad in a competitive setting.
“We’ve gained valuable information on guys playing in these games,” Berhalter says. “This will be a tough game, this will be a competitive game and it will be great to see some of the guys play.”
One of the guys looking for an opportunity to show off his skills at MAPFRE Stadium is midfielder Emil Larsen.
“Of course it will be big to play in front of the crowd and in the stadium,” he says. “That is what I’ve been waiting for and came for, so I am looking forward to it.”
Larsen expects a fast-paced match against a high-pressing Veracruz side.
“I think it’s a good team. Normally, [Mexican teams] have some fast players, so it’s good experience for the team and for myself,” he says. “We just have to think quicker and maybe play the ball a different way, because they come fast and high up the pitch. So we just have to take care of that.”
Crew SC is 10-6-3 all-time in international exhibitions, last facing Valencia CF from Spain at MAPFRE Stadium in a clash that the visitors won by a 1-0 final in 2015. During that match Stuver impressed with numerous saves, and the goalkeeper is looking forward to prove himself again against Veracruz.
“I think it’s really important for the younger guys, the guys that don’t make the 18, or the guys that are not getting regular minutes,” he says. “I think it’s a good way to get into a game scenario and show the coaching staff that what we do in training can be translated onto the game field.”
