MATCH GUIDE | A Hispanic Heritage Celebration

Columbus Crew (9-7-14, 41 pts., #7 in East) vs. Portland Timbers (11-8-12, 45 pts., #6 in West)

Sun., September 18th at 1:00 p.m.

Hispanic Heritage Celebration - ¡Celebración de la Herencia Hispana!

During the match, we will celebrate our Hispanic fans and players, as well as the Club's work to build an inclusive environment for everyone. - Durante el juego, vamos a celebrar a nuestros hinchas y jugadores hispanos, al igual que el trabajo del Club para construir un ambiente inclusivo para todos.

TV: ESPN, ESPN Deportes, MLS LIVE on ESPN+
Radio: 97.1 The Fan (English), YouTube (Español)
Weather Forecast: 85° and sunny

With four matches remaining in the regular season, Columbus maintains the seventh and final playoff spot. Every match is pivotal to position for a place the MLS Cup Playoffs. The Crew has entered win-now mode just in time for two-straight home matches and controls its fate.

"We need to find that breakthrough where we're getting the job done and making the plays to win games," remarked head coach Caleb Porter.

Take a look at what's in store on Sunday afternoon at Lower.com Field:

Pre-Match Activities

• Rally for the March to the Match under the bridge on Nationwide Blvd. and join the Grand Marshals of the march: the Ohio Hispanic Coalition, La Turbina Amarilla, and Guardia Noventa y Seis.
• La Mega will be on site and broadcasting a live radio show from 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
• Starting at 11:30 a.m. on the stage at the Community Plaza, listen to the tunes of Troubled Sapiens, a local Spanglish punk rock group!
• Try to win prizes at Nationwide's Kick & Win, Lower.com's Soccer Skee-Ball, and the Tim Hortons Prize Wheel.
• Enjoy Scott's Yard Games, which include Giant Jenga, Connect 4, Cornhole and Soccer Pong.

In-Match Activities

• The U.S. National Anthem will be performed by Columbus-based bilingual singer Karen Labra.
• During the team's procession to the pitch and for the singing of the U.S. National Anthem, flags from all Hispanic countries will be held on the pitch by individuals representing each country.
• Serving as the Hard Hat Hero for the day will be first generation Mexican American, a Crew season ticket member since 2016 and a founding member of Guardia Noventa y Seis, Diana Lopez.
• Free Yellow Card giveaway, presented by Sherwin Williams. Wave your card when the Timbers get booked!
• Several stadium announcements including the Starting XI will be made in Spanish, while DJ Leek will play Hispanic-themed warm-up and halftime music.
• The Crew Shop will feature unique themed apparel and accessories to celebrate the day. Items include special "Vamos Columbus Crew" t-shirts and scarves, as well as calavera-adorned koozies.

Prior to Arrival

Be sure to arrive early to take in the unique experience at Lower.com Field! There are a number of features that allow for a seamless arrival at the stadium:

Know Before You Go

• Review the Know Before You Go resource page to know what to expect on matchday at Lower.com Field.
• For weather updates, please view our Severe Weather Updates page.

Matchday Homepage

• View the centralized resource for additional matchday topics, including ingress, parking, mobile ticketing, maps, and more.

A-Z Guide

• For a detailed list of matchday- or stadium-related information, refer to the A-Z Guide.

Arrival

• Review our Transportation & Parking page for information on all the ways to get to and from Lower.com Field on matchday.
• Rideshare & Biking Map
• Reserve Parking Prior to Arrival
• Parking Lot Map
• Ingress Routes Map
• View Map for ADA-compliant Shuttle Map

Ticketing

• All tickets for the match are available through mobile devices; please download your ticket in advance. The easiest place to access your mobile tickets is through the official Columbus Crew App.
• No more long waits to get your ticket scanned! Scan your own ticket(s) at the Axess turnstiles, similar to what you see at the airport.
• Express Entry: Lower.com Field is now offering Touchless Entry featuring seamless and quick access into the stadium through Facial Ticketing. Look for the yellow “Express Entry” signs above turnstiles on the left-hand side of the AEP Gate (southeast corner). Fans can sign up for Free Express Entry before the match for the fastest way to get into Lower.com Field!
• For more information, view the Mobile Ticketing page.

In-Stadium

Free Stadium WiFi

• Connect to Lower.com Field's free WiFi presented by Tipico Sportsbook on your phone for a faster mobile connection (Name: Stadium WiFi)

Cash2Card Kiosks

• Lower.com Field is a cashless stadium. Cash2Card kiosks are located throughout the stadium.

Concessions

• Lower.com Field will offer its full slate of food & beverage options. View a full list of food vendors here.

Crew Shop

• The Crew Shop will close three hours prior to kick on matchday and open again for ticketed guests when Lower.com Field gates open.
• View Crew Shop hours of operation.

Umbrella Policy

• Collapsible, non-golf umbrellas are permitted inside Lower.com Field.
• Umbrellas may not have metal tips or pointed edges.
• Umbrellas may be used if, when open, it provides protection only to the guest holding it and does not interfere with other guests' enjoyment of the match or event. Similarly, the open umbrella must not compromise other guests' ability to view the match or event. As such, guests may be asked to close their umbrella if it is obstructing the view of other guests.
• Large and/or golf umbrellas will not be permitted in Lower.com Field.

Leaving Lower.com Field

Egress

• View the recommended egress routes following matches at Lower.com Field.