Columbus Crew SC hosts Montreal Impact for the 2018 home opener on Saturday at MAPFRE Stadium. The Eastern Conference matchup is set for 1 p.m. ET.
The Black & Gold met with their Canadian counterparts twice in regular-season action last season with both matches ending in favor of Crew SC. On May 13, the Black & Gold topped Montreal 3-2 for a Mother's Day special before sending Montreal off with a 4-1 whooping on June 24. This season the Impact will be coached by former Lyon manager, Remi Garde. Montreal will also rely heavily on Ignacio Patti, as well as their new Designated Player, Saphir Taider.
Montreal opened the 2018 regular season last Sunday with a 2-1 loss to fellow Canadians, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, in Vancouver. The Impact's lone goal of the match came late in the second half when striker Matteo Mancosu headed one home in the 81st minute.
The Black & Gold will come into Saturday's match fresh off a 2-0 victory over MLS Cup defenders, Toronto FC, that opened the 2018 regular season last Saturday in Toronto.
The first goal of the match came late in the first half when midfielder Artur found midfielder Milton Valenzuela on a long cross. Valenzuela then crossed the knee-high ball onto an oncoming Federico Higuain volley that found the back of the net. The goal marked Higuain's first of the 2018 MLS regular season. The assist also marked Valenzuela's MLS and Crew SC debut.
The Black & Gold came back hungry for more after the break, and less than a minute into the second half forward Gyasi Zardes opened his Crew SC account with a perfectly timed one-touch from midfielder Pedro Santos adding another notch to the scoreboard which would ultimately end in a 2-0 victory for Crew SC.
Saturday's shutout also marked goalkeeper Zack Steffen's 10th regular-season shutout in MLS action. Steffen also made two saves against Toronto which now puts him at 100 regular-season saves for the Black & Gold.
Saturday's efforts also earned Higuain Crew SC's first Acura Man of the Match as well as being named to MLS' Team of the Week in addition to defender Lalas Abubakar and Valenzuela.
