TONIGHT'S XI
FIRST CREW STARTS FOR MATAN AND ABDUL-SALAAM
Defender Saad Abdul-Salaam and midfielder Alex Matan are both making their first starts for The Crew since joining the Club. To date, Abdul-Salaam has made two appearances while Matan has made five appearances for the Black & Gold.
ZARDES NEARS 200 MLS REGULAR-SEASON STARTS
Forward Gyasi Zardes has made 198 MLS regular-season starts and needs two more starts to reach 200 in his MLS career. Since joining Columbus SC prior to the 2018 season, Zardes has made 82 regular-season starts for the Black & Gold while scoring 44 goals, having previously recorded 116 regular-season starts and netted 34 goals for the LA Galaxy between 2013 and 2017.
ROOM TIED FOR LEAGUE LEADERS IN MLS REGULAR-SEASON SHUTOUTS
Goalkeeper Eloy Room is tied for most shutouts in MLS regular-season action this season (two), having kept clean sheets in a home match against the Philadelphia Union (April 18) and on the road against CF Montreal (May 1). He joins Stefan Frei (Seattle Sounders FC), Pedro Gallese (Orlando City SC), Maxime Crepeau (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Sean Johnson (NYCFC), Joe Willis (Nashville SC), Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union), Carlos Coronel (New York Red Bulls) and William Yarbrough (Colorado Rapids) with two regular-season clean sheets.
THE CREW TIED FOR LEAGUE LEAD IN FEWEST GOALS CONCEDED IN 2021 MLS REGULAR SEASON
Through three matches in the 2021 MLS regular season, Columbus SC leads the league in fewest goals conceded, with one goal allowed by the Black & Gold. Additionally, the Club are the league leaders in fewest goals conceded per match, with a 0.33 GAA. This season, The Crew has shutout both the Philadelphia Union (April 18) and CF Montreal (May 1).
