CREW SC TO MEET NEW MLS SIDE NEW YORK CITY FC FOR THE FIRST TIME
Columbus Crew SC plays its 25th Major League Soccer regular-season match in 2015 and its 13th at MAPFRE Stadium by hosting New York City FC on Wednesday, August 19. This is the first of two meetings between Columbus and New York City this year and the first meeting overall. Following Wednesday’s contest, the Black & Gold will square off with NYCFC for a second time ten days later at Yankee Stadium.
Crew SC is 10-7-4 vs. first-time opponents, most recently a 3-0 victory over Orlando City SC on April 18 earlier this year at MAPFRE Stadium. Crew SC comes into this contest looking to pick up its eighth win against teams in the East with the Black & Gold currently possessing a 7-6-4 record against intra-Conference opponents.
BLACK & GOLD BEGIN TWO-MATCH HOMESTAND
Wednesday’s contest against New York City FC begins a two-match homestand for the Black & Gold. Following this contest, Crew SC remains in Columbus to take on Sporting Kansas City for the first time in 2015 on Saturday, August 22.
HOME SWEET HOME
At MAPFRE Stadium, Crew SC has scored 27 MLS regular-season goals in 2015, a total that is tied for the most in the Eastern Conference and is tied for second among all League clubs. The Black & Gold’s 2015 regular-season home goal differential of +11 is tied for second in the Eastern Conference and tied for fourth in all of MLS.
KAMARA REGAINS GOAL-SCORING LEAD
By scoring two goals in Crew SC’s last match at Colorado, forward Kei Kamara reclaimed the 2015 MLS regular-season scoring lead from Toronto FC’s Sebastian Giovinco. Kamara now has 17 goals in 2015, one ahead of Giovinco.
KAMARA SURGING UP ALL-TIME BRACES LEADERBOARD
Kei Kamara registered his fifth brace of the 2015 MLS regular-season at Colorado, becoming just the second player in club history to ever total five two-goal performances in a single season. Kamara’s five braces trail Stern John’s eight such efforts in 1998 for most all-time in Columbus history.
KAMARA TIES MCBRIDE
In scoring his 16th and 17th goals of the 2015 Major League Soccer regular-season at Colorado, forward Kei Kamara tied Black & Gold Circle of Honor inductee Brian McBride for third place on the club’s all-time single-season goal-scoring list. McBride struck for 17 tallies during Columbus’ first-ever season in 1996. Kamara only trails Stern John’s 26 goals in 1998 and 18 goals in 1999 in the single-season goal-scoring record books.
FRANCIS, SAEID AVAILABLE FOR SELECTION
After serving one-match suspensions on August 8 at Colorado for yellow-card accumulation, both defender Waylon Francis and midfielder Mohammed Saeid are available for selection for this match against New York City FC.
TCHANI ON THE VERGE OF 100
Midfielder Tony Tchani’s next appearance will mark his 100th with Crew SC. Tchani would become the 22nd player to ever hit 100 appearances with the Black & Gold. Current teammate Justin Meram (112 appearances) is the only other active member of Crew SC to hold that achievement.
WHERE TO WATCH/LISTEN
Wednesday’s 7:30 p.m. ET start is available locally on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel. “Crew SC Matchday” on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel begins at 7:00 p.m. ET. Dwight Burgess, Neil Sika are set to have the call of the match at 7:30 p.m. ET.
A complete list of places to catch the Black & Gold on TV is available here.
Fans can also listen to the match on the radio on Crew SC’s English-language radio partner CD102.5 FM or in Spanish on La Mega 103.1 FM.