OBETZ – Columbus Crew SC got in a session of training at the EAS Training Center at Obetz between matches against Major League Soccer expansion-team foes on Monday in Obetz. After hosting Atlanta United FC on Saturday, the Black & Gold will now travel to Minneapolis for a match with Minnesota United FC on Tuesday, July 4, at 7 p.m. ET.
Crew SC enters the Independence Day matchup on just three days’ rest following the loss to Atlanta United FC on Saturday in Columbus. The Black & Gold trained arduously ahead of their big-stage matchup with the Loons.
Stopping ‘Superman’
Minnesota forward Christian “Superman” Ramirez owns a team-high 10 goals this season for the first-year club. Stopping the prolific attacker will be a point of emphasis for Columbus in an attempt to earn three points on the road.
“He has good movement off the ball, very good movement,” Crew SC Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter said. “He’s always looking to get behind the defense. He’s a typical striker, always in the right place at the right time. He has a very good, quick shot, he’s able to get shots off with accurate shooting. He’s a good player. He has a great goal record so far this year and he’s been a big part of their success so far.”
The former North American Soccer League Golden Ball winner scored his team’s lone goal in United’s last match, a 3-1 loss to New York City FC. Crew SC forward Adam Jahn, a fellow attacker, respects Ramirez’s game but hopes that his success won’t continue against the Black & Gold.
“He’s been doing well this season,” Jahn said. “He always expects the ball and he gambles a lot, he works hard. What does he have, 10 goals now? Good for him, but hopefully he’ll have zero goals tomorrow.”
🇺🇸🎇Fourth of July🎆🇺🇸
Playing soccer on the Fourth of July is a tradition for the MLS. As the country celebrates the major American holiday, Crew SC will be hard at work looking to prove themselves at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
“It’s unique,” Crew SC midfielder Ethan Finlay said. “In our job, we don’t celebrate holidays like everyone else does. It’s exciting. I’m going to have a lot of family there. I think it’ll be a whole family affair. Obviously being on the Fourth of July, people will bring their family out. It’ll probably be one of their bigger crowds of the year. I think it’ll be fantastic and we’re looking forward to the atmosphere.”
Berhalter agreed with Finlay’s remarks on Monday at the EAS Training Center at Obetz. The Black & Gold’s Boss enjoys pairing his soccer with summer time holidays and is even hoping to catch some of the festivities surrounding the match in Minnesota.
“I think it’s a good idea,” Berhalter said. “I think soccer on July 4 is a great idea. Hopefully there’s going to be a great crowd, hopefully there’s going to be fireworks somewhere in Minnesota for the people there that we can probably catch a glimpse of. But I like associating Major League Soccer with holidays like this in the summer time. It’s a nice thing to do.”
The native son
There is a reason that Finlay will have family in attendance for the match up north. Minnesota is the birth place of the Crew SC veteran. Finlay, a Duluth, Minn., native, has a soft spot for the Land of 10,000 Lakes and is looking forward to seeing MLS action in his home state for the first time.
“It’s tremendous,” Finlay said. “It’s great for the city. It’ll be fun to see 30, 40-plus people that I’m familiar with in the crowd.”
The thought of the match against the newly minted Minnesota club brought out feelings of nostalgia for Finlay, a longtime MLS fan that grew up in the region up north.
“I didn’t think I’d see the day that we’d have a team in Minnesota or Wisconsin,” Finlay said. “We don’t have one in Wisconsin yet, but to have a team in Minnesota is tremendous. It’s great for the league and it shows how far we’ve come.”
They said it…
With most of the country off work for the Fourth of July holiday on Tuesday, one could assume that more eyes than usual will be on Crew SC for their match against Minnesota, both in the stadium and on television. Jahn acknowledged the added fanfare and embraced the pressure of the upcoming match.
“If you can’t get up for a game like this, then you’re in the wrong profession.”
►Crew SC forward Adam Jahn
Columbus Crew SC will travel to Minnesota after a quick three-day turnaround from Atlanta United. Crew SC will be meeting the 23rd Major League Expansion club Minnesota United FC for the first time at TCF Bank Stadium on July 4 for a 7 p.m. ET kickoff.
The Black & Gold welcome German Bundesliga-side and DFB Pokal-finalist Eintracht Frankfurt to MAPFRE Stadium for an international friendly on Monday, July 17. The match is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m.
Columbus returns to MLS action at home on July 22 at 7:30 p.m. ET against the Philadelphia Union.