NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA, CFL stats



Columbus Crew SC

Match Preview: Crew Sc Begins Historic 20th Major League Soccer Campaign with Test at Houston on Sat

March 6, 2015 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Columbus Crew SC News Release


COLUMBUS - Columbus Crew SC begins its historic 20th Major League Soccer season with a contest against the Houston Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium on Saturday, March 7 at 8:30 p.m. ET.

Time Warner Cable SportsChannel is televising the game, with Dwight Burgess, Neil Sika and Ashleigh Ignelzi on the call. The match is being broadcast with simulcast audio on CD102.5 FM, and Juan Valladares and Javier Mijangos are set to be behind the microphone for La Mega 103.1 FM.

Supporters in Columbus can watch the match at the club's official viewing party, set to be held at Fado Easton (4022 Townsfair Way, Columbus OH 43219). Club Brand Ambassador Frankie Hejduk will be in attendance to root on the Black & Gold. For supporters of legal drinking age, Budweiser and Bud Light 16-ounce bottles will be $4 throughout the contest.

The match is set to be the first regular-season encounter for the Black & Gold with their new badge and under their new brand identity as Columbus Crew SC. In all-time regular-season play, Crew SC and Houston have met for 20 contests, with the Black & Gold holding a 6-4-10 record in those matches, and more specifically, a 1-3-6 record in Houston. In 2014, the teams played three times, with each notching one win, one loss and one draw. Crew SC played to a 2-2 result in its most recent trip to BBVA Compass Stadium, on September 13 of last year. Wil Trapp scored his first career MLS goal and Ethan Finlay leveled the match in the 54th minute to secure a draw for the Black & Gold.

The Black & Gold have won their last two season-openers by 3-0 scorelines, with each of those matches coming on the road. In 2013, Columbus defeated Chivas USA by that score on March 2 of that year with Designated Player Federico Higuain among the goal-scorers for the Black & Gold in the victory. Last season, Crew SC repeated the feat with a 3-0 victory at D.C. United. Higuain notched a brace to pace Columbus on March 8 at RFK Stadium.

Crew SC is set to return its top nine players in minutes played from the side that finished third place in the Eastern Conference in 2014 (Steve Clark, Tony Tchani, Michael Parkhurst, Federico Higuain, Wil Trapp, Waylon Francis, Ethan Finlay, Hector Jimenez and Justin Meram). The club also returns its top nine-assist getters and its top three goal-scorers. Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter will look to build upon his first-year success, which saw him become the only Head Coach in Crew SC history to lead the team to the MLS Cup Playoffs in his first year without any previous interim experience with the club.

Columbus Crew SC at Houston Dynamo

Saturday, March 7 - 8:30 p.m. ET - BBVA Compass Stadium

Regional Television: Time Warner Cable SportsChannel

Crew SC Radio: CD102.5 FM (English); La Mega 103.1 (Spanish)

Check out the Columbus Crew SC Statistics

• Discuss this story on the Major League Soccer message board...

Major League Soccer Stories from March 6, 2015


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central