Sports stats



Dutch Lions vs. Columbus Crew - Match Preview

July 8, 2013 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Dayton Dutch Lions News Release


Dayton, Ohio - The Dayton Dutch Lions are geared up to face the Columbus Crew Reserves on Wednesday night 7:30 PM at Crew Stadium. The short trip across I-70 could go a long way in pushing the Dutch Lions up the USL PRO standings. A victory over the Crew will send the Dutch Lions to fourth place.

The Dutch Lions (7-3-5) find themselves in the unusual position of looking to rebound from a loss. Prior to Saturday night's 2-3 defeat by the Richmond Kickers, it had been more than two months since Dayton had failed to earn a point in a league contest. The unbeaten streak spanned 10 matches. The team hopes that the match against the Crew is the beginning of another successful run that not only secures a spot in the playoffs, but earns a good seeding in the post-season tournament.

The Crew Reserves have put together a record of 2-4-1 and sit in fourth place of the MLS Reserves Eastern Division. Their most recent game was a 0-1 loss to the Montreal Impact on June 16. The Black & Gold were unable to capitalize on several early chances, and the Impact scored the game-winner in the 81st minute.

This will be the second meeting between the Dutch Lions and the Crew Reserves this season. The previous match was an up-and-down battle at Beavercreek High School that featured a combined total of eight goals. Dayton took a 3-2 lead into halftime, thanks to goal by Gibson Bardsley and a pair from Joel DeLass. The Crew came out of the locker room after the half and asserted their will, jumping out to 4-3 lead. The Dutch Lions were undaunted and Shane Smith netted the equalizer 89th minute. It was a match that typified the grit and determination that Dayton has displayed all season.

The meetings between the Dutch Lions and the Crew Reserves are part of a partnership between USL PRO and MLS that was struck prior to the beginning of the season. A portion of that agreement has each USL PRO team playing a home-and-away series against an MLS Reserve side. The results of the matches count in the standings for both leagues.

The Dayton Dutch Lions return home on Sunday, July 14 to take on first-place Orlando City at 6:30 PM. For more information on the Dayton Dutch Lions, or to purchase tickets, please visit www.daytondutchlionsfc.com.

• Discuss this story on the United Soccer League Championship message board...

United Soccer League Championship Stories from July 8, 2013


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