Three Crew SC players have received international call-ups this week: Harrison Afful, Jonathan Mensah and Justin Meram.
Meram is set to join Iraq (Asia / Group B) ahead of its 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying matches against Thailand on Thursday before meeting the United Arab Emirates on September 5. The match against Thailand will take place at Ranjamangala National Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, with the match against the United Arab Emirates taking place at Shahid Dastgerdi Stadium in Tehran, Iran.
Afful and Mensah are set to join Ghana (AFCON - Group E) ahead of two 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying matches against Congo. The first match will take place on Friday at Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi, Ghana. The second match will take place on September 5 at Stade de l’Unite in Brazzaville, Congo. Only the top teams in each group will qualify for Russia 2018.
Meram | Iraq
Iraq is looking to make their first world finals appearance since Mexico 1986. They are entering Round 3 and currently hold a 1-5-2 form. The other teams that make up Group B include: Australia, Japan, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Thailand, with Japan currently sitting at the top. Thailand is the only team in Group B that has never made the tournament, and they currently hold a 0-6-2 form. Iraq first entered the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers ahead of the 1974 tournament and again during the Spain 1982 preliminaries. The Lions made it to the finals in Mexico 1986 before falling to Paraguay and the hosts. They've reached the final round of the Asian Qualifiers three times; going all the way just once in 2007.
Afful & Mensah | Ghana
Ghana is also entering Round 3 with an 0-1-1 record. The other teams that make up Group E include: Egypt, Uganda, and the Congo, with Egypt sitting on top of the table after their 2-0 victory over Ghana on November 13, 2016. Ghana will need a victory over Congo and for group leaders Egypt and Uganda to drop points. The Black Stars didn't qualify for the World Cup until 2006, where they made it to the Round of 16, but they have made the cut three times since then. They nearly made it to the South Africa semifinals in 2010, but fell short to Uruguay. In Brazil 2014, they netted 25 goals in eight matches and only conceded six.
Crew SC will return to MAPFRE Stadium to face Sporting Kansas City on September 10 with a 1 p.m. ET kickoff.
Crew SC is hosting the second edition of Pups at the Pitch. For only $35 you and your 4-legged friend can get a General Admission ticket in the lower sideline to watch Crew SC take on Sporting Kansas City on Sunday, September 10, at 1 p.m.
Prior to Kick Off you and your dog will have access to a designated dog park at MAPFRE Stadium.
