Columbus Crew SC will host D.C. United for the MAPFRE Stadium regular-season finale on Saturday at MAPFRE Stadium for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff.
#ClaimGlory
MLS action returns this weekend after a busy midweek slate, and Columbus — and six other sides — have a chance to clinch their berth in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. It's time to #ClaimGlory in Columbus.
The Black & Gold remain at home in the push for the playoffs when they play D.C. United on Saturday, September 30 at 7:30 p.m. ET. With a win, Crew SC will cement its postseason qualification without relying on any other league-wide results.
Other clinching scenarios include a Columbus tie versus D.C. United on Saturday andaMontreal Impact tie or loss versus the Colorado Rapids on Saturday. A final clinching scenario could see the Impact tie or lose versus Colorado Rapids on Saturday anda New England Revolution tie or loss versus Atlanta United on Saturday.
Columbus closes the regular season on the road at Orlando City SC on October 15 and at New York City FC on October 22.
UNBEATEN IN LAST 7
Crew SC is undefeated in its last seven regular-season matches dating back to a 3-1 home victory over the Chicago Fire (August 12).
Over that span, the Black & Gold have posted a record of 4-0-3 and have outscored opponents 14-8. This is Crew SC’s longest unbeaten streak of the 2017 MLS regular season, beating a previous streak of three consecutive wins from March 18-April 1.
Additionally, this is the longest stretch of consecutive regular-season matches that the Black & Gold has gone undefeated since Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter took over the team in 2014. Crew SC’s previous longest undefeated streak in regular-season action under Berhalter was four matches, which was achieved on six separate occasions: two times in 2014, three times in 2013 and once in 2016.
ON VERGE MOST HOME WINS
In 2017, Crew SC has won 11 times when playing at MAPFRE Stadium during the regular-season, the highest number of home victories for the Black & Gold since the 2012 season.
Columbus has earned 11 home victories in four previous seasons: 1997, 1998, 2008 and 2012. Should Crew SC win against D.C. United on Saturday, it would mark the first time in club history the Black & Gold have earned 12 home victories.
Additionally, Columbus’ regular-season goal differential at home is currently +15, the highest since the 2008 regular season in which Crew SC finished with a +15 home goal differential en route to winning the 2008 MLS Cup. Moreover, in 2017 Crew SC has tallied more points and regular-season victories at home than in any other regular-season since Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter took over the club in 2014.
With 35 points earned at home, this is also the club’s best regular-season home record since 2012, when the club earned 36 points at home.
WILLIAMS SCORES GAME-WINNER
Defender Josh Williams scored the game-winner for Crew SC in Saturday’s 3-2 home win over the New York Red Bulls, his first goal of the 2017 MLS regular season. Williams’ goal came in the 66th minute, when he headed in a corner kick from Federico Higuain.
This was Williams’ fifth MLS career goal and his first goal since 2013, when he scored for Crew SC in a 3-0 home victory over D.C. United (April 27). In 2017, Williams has made 19 regular-season appearances (16 starts), scoring one goal.
HIGUAIN HITS ASSISTS CAREER-HIGH
Midfielder Federico Higuain set up all three of Crew SC’s goals in Saturday’s 3-2 home victory over the New York Red Bulls.
With his feat, Higuain reached 10 assists for the 2017 MLS regular season, setting a new MLS regular-season career-high. Higuain’s previous career-high in assists was nine, which he achieved twice: in 2013 and in 2015.
In 2017, Higuain has made 23 regular-season appearances (all starts), registering nine goals and 10 assists. Of Higuain’s 10 helpers, three have been game-winning assists, making him Crew SC’s leader in this category for the 2017 regular season. On Higuain’s performance, Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter gave the following quote after the match: “He shows why he’s important, he shows why he’s high quality, with plays that he made tonight.”
HIGUAIN'S 3 ASSISTS MARK 1st TIME IN 17 YEARS
Federico Higuain’s three helpers against the New York Red Bulls made him the first Crew SC player in 17 years to achieve this feat in regular-season action.
The last player to provide three helpers in a single regular-season match for Crew SC was Dante Washington, who registered three assists back in 2000 in a 3-1 win over the New England Revolution (June 24).
Higuain’s last multi-assist match came earlier this year during a 2-1 home victory over FC Dallas (August 26).
HIGUAIN'S ASSIST HAT TRICK JOINS ELITE CO.
With his three assists against the New York Red Bulls this past Saturday, Federico Higuain became one of only seven players to record three assists for the Black & Gold.
The other seven players to record three helpers in a single match are Ensil Elcock (twice in 1998), Robert Warzycha (1999), Dante Washington (2002), Jeff Cunningham (2003), Sebastian Rozental (2006) and Guillermo Barros Schelotto (2008). Coincidentally, the last player to register three assists in a single match – Schelotto – also did it against the New York Red Bulls.
HIGUAIN TIES McBRIDE
Following his three-assists performance against the New York Red Bulls on Saturday, Federico Higuain is now tied with Brian McBride for second place in Crew SC’s all-time regular-season assists chart with 45 assists. Higuain is now behind only Jeff Cunningham (61 assists) in regular-season assists for the Black & Gold. Since joining Crew SC in 2012, Higuain has made 146 regular-season appearances (141 starts), registering 48 goals and 45 assists.
FEDERICO HIGUAIN: PLAYMAKER
In 2017, no other Crew SC player has recorded more regular-season assists than Federico Higuain. The Argentine midfielder has registered 10 assists this season, three more than Justin Meram (seven assists).
Three of Higuain’s 10 assists have been the game-winning assists, coming against Toronto FC (April 15), FC Dallas (August 26) and the New York Red Bulls (September 23).
In addition to setting up 10 goals, Higuain has created a total of 57 chances, the most out of any Crew SC player and ahead of Justin Meram (44) and Ola Kamara (21), per Opta. Higuain averages 2.61 chances created per 90 minutes, the tenth highest average in MLS for players who have played 900 minutes or more. In the 2017 MLS regular season, Crew SC is 6-0-0 in matches in which Higuain has registered an assist.
MERAM LEADS GAME-WINNING GOALS
Through 31 regular-season appearances (29 starts) in 2017, midfielder Justin Meram has tallied 12 strikes for the Black & Gold, with five of those goals being game-winners.
All five of Meram’s game-winning goals have come against Eastern Conference opponents: Orlando City SC (April 1), Toronto FC (April 15), the Montreal Impact (May 13), the Philadelphia Union (July 22) and the Chicago Fire (August 12). Additionally, four of those goals were scored at MAPFRE Stadium, with only his game-winner against Montreal being scored on the road. With his haul of five game-winning goals, Meram leads Crew SC in this category, ahead of Federico Higuain, Kekuta Manneh and Ola Kamara, all of whom have scored two game-winning goals in regular-season action this year.
MERAM KEEPS SCORING
Midfielder Justin Meram tallied his 12th strike of the 2017 MLS regular season in Saturday’s match against the New York Red Bulls, scoring in the 54th minute. The goal was Meram’s 36th goal for the Black & Gold, taking him past Eddie Gaven (35 goals) to take sole possession of sixth place in Crew SC’s all-time regular-season goal scoring chart. Since joining Crew SC in 2011, Meram has made 185 regular-season appearances (131 starts), recording 36 goals and 33 assists.
MENSAH SCORES FASTEST GOAL
Defender Jonathan Mensah doubled his goal account with the Black & Gold by scoring Crew SC’s opening goal against the New York Red Bulls this past Saturday. Mensah got his head on a Federico Higuain free kick in the sixth minute, giving the hosts an early lead and recording Crew SC’s fastest strike of the 2017 MLS regular season.
This was Mensah’s second tally of the season, having previously scored the game-winner in a home contest against FC Dallas (August 26). In 2017, Mensah has made 23 regular-season appearances, registering two goals and one assist. After the conclusion of the match, Mensah gave the following quote when asked about Crew SC scoring two goals off of set pieces: “We have been working a lot on it and now we have Pedro [Santos]. He’s really good on dead balls also. We have to take advantage of that and take our chances. If we keep working on it, we will keep scoring.”
ON VERGE OF CLUB MILESTONE
Heading into their home match against the D.C United at MAPFRE Stadium this Saturday, the Black & Gold are on the verge of achieving a club first: having three players score 10 or more goals each in a single regular season. As it stands, Ola Kamara has tallied 16 strikes, Justin Meram has scored 12 goals and Federico Higuain has found the back of the net on nine occasions in the 2017 MLS regular season.
Should Higuain score another regular-season goal in 2017, it would mark the first time in club history that three Crew SC players have each scored 10 or more regular-season goals in one year.
GOALS: A TEAM EFFORT
In 2017, 21 players have seen regular-season action for Crew SC with 20 contributing a goal or an assist, including goalkeeper Zack Steffen. Steffen registered an assist in a 4-1 home victory over the Montreal Impact (June 24). For a look at several 2017 category leaders for Crew SC, be sure to check-out the “2017 Snapshot” on page 5.
Under Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter, the Black & Gold have finished the regular-season in strong fashion. In the previous three seasons, Crew SC has a combined record of 17-10-3 during the final 10 regular-season matches. This year, the Black & Gold have a record of 3-0-3 with only three matches remaining in the 2017 regular season.
YOUNGEST TO 14 WINS
With Saturday’s win against the New York Red Bulls, goalkeeper Zack Steffen recorded his 14th win of the 2017 MLS regular-season, becoming the youngest goalkeeper to reach 14 wins in his first year of play. Additionally, Steffen also tied Steve Clark for most wins by a Crew SC goalkeeper in his first year of play for the club. In 2017, Zack Steffen has made 31 regular-season appearances (all starts), registering 89 saves and seven shutouts.
