OBETZ – Columbus Crew SC completed the final training session of its extended rest time on Tuesday at the EAS Training Center at Obetz. The Black & Gold will encounter FC Cincinnati in the Fourth Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on the road Wednesday night before traveling to face Atlanta United FC on Saturday following their Major League Soccer bye week.
Win or go home
The Fourth Round U.S. Open Cup matchup against FC Cincinnati will be played under an elimination format, which means that there must be a winner. Crew SC Homegrown defender Alex Crognale said that the team is ready for the task and the game, the first of its kind this year.
“Obviously, if you don’t perform well and you make a few mistakes that you wouldn’t normally make then you don’t get to play in the next round of the tournament,” Crognale said. “It’s something that we’re definitely aware of and something we’re going to do our best to not let happen and make sure we’re focused and tuned in and prepared to play.”
The Black & Gold hold an all-time record of 23-16-2 in U.S. Open Cup matches. In matches such as Wednesday’s, Crew SC holds a mark of 13-5-1 in opening matches and is 6-2-0 all-time against United Soccer League teams such as FC Cincinnati. Columbus hoisted the U.S. Open Cup as champions in 2002 at MAPFRE Stadium.
Crew SC midfielder Ethan Finlay owns a team-best three goals for his career in U.S. Open Cup play. The midfielder spoke on what has allowed him to have success in the tournament in years past.
“I think it’s just taking the same mindset you have on a Saturday for an MLS game into these games,” Finlay said. “They’re worthy opponents. You can’t look down upon them. You have to approach them that way. That’s what I always try to do.”
They said it…
Wednesday’s match in Cincinnati will mark the end of an 11-day break for Crew SC. While some of those days were used as much-needed vacation time, many of them consisted of training at the EAS Training Center at Obetz. Finlay said that the team is ready to return to live competition, outside of training.
“Yeah, I think some of us are tired of kicking each other.”
►Crew SC midfielder Ethan Finlay
Columbus will next travel for a June 17 match in Atlanta against MLS-expansion side Atlanta United with a 7 p.m. ET kickoff. Crew SC next plays the Montreal Impact at MAPFRE Stadium on Saturday, June 24 with a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff. Enjoy half-off select beers (for supporters ages 21-and-over), Pepsi products, brats and pretzels through the 15th minute.
concession items subject to change
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.
