COLUMBUS CREW SC vs. PHILADELPHIA UNION
MAPFRE STADIUM, Columbus, Ohio
March 12, 2016 (WEEK 2, MLS Game #16)
7:30 PM ET (MLS LIVE)
Two teams looking to rebound from opening day setbacks meet in an Eastern Conference clash when Columbus Crew SC play host to Philadelphia Union on Saturday evening at MAPFRE Stadium. Crew SC saw their season start the way last year ended, falling 2-1 to the Portland Timbers in an MLS Cup 2015 rematch at Providence Park. Union were on the road to begin the campaign, dropping a 2-0 decision at FC Dallas in their opener.
- Crew SC opened their season the way the 2015 campaign ended – a 2-1 loss to the Portland Timbers. Federico Higuain scored the lone Crew SC goal.
- Union kicked off their new season with a 2-0 defeat at FC Dallas. Union have opened a season with a victory just once in their MLS history, in 2011, with a 2-0 victory at Houston.
- Crew SC have never lost to Union in Columbus. They have won six of seven meetings there all-time, with one draw, including the last three matches in the Ohio state capital. Crew SC took a 4-1 win last April 25 in the only meeting at Mapfre Stadium.
- Crew SC took a 3-1 in the final meeting between the teams last year, Sept. 12 in Chester, their third road victory in the last four years in the series.
REFEREE: Hilario Grajeda. AR1 (bench): James Conlee; AR2 (opposite): Jason White; 4th: Geoff Gamble
MLS Career: 121 games; FC/gm: 24.3; Y/gm: 3.5; R: 20; pens: 20
SUSPENDED: none
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (15 meetings): Crew SC 10 wins, 26 goals … Union 4 wins, 21 goals … Ties 1
AT COLUMBUS (7 meetings): Crew SC 6 wins, 17 goals … Union 0 wins, 8 goals … Ties 1
RETURN MATCHES: 6/1: Philadelphia Union vs. Columbus Crew SC, 7 p.m. ET; 8/24: Columbus Crew SC vs. Philadelphia Union, 7:30 p.m. ET
LAST YEAR (MLS)
4/25: CLB 4, PHI 1 (Kamara 21; Finlay 32, 73; Meram 44 - Ayuk 64)
6/3: PHI 3, CLB 0 (Sapong 41; Nogueira 52; Le Toux 58)
9/12: PHI 1, CLB 2 (Sapong 66 - Kamara 21, 26)
- Crew SC have never lost to Union in Columbus. They have won six of seven meetings there all-time, with one draw, including the last three matches in the Ohio state capital. Crew SC took a 4-1 win last April 25 in the only meeting at MAPFRE Stadium.
- Crew SC took a 3-1 in the final meeting between the teams last year, Sept. 12 in Chester, their third road victory in the last four years in the series.
- Coaches record: Jim Curtin vs. CLB: P5 W1 L4 D0 … Gregg Berhalter vs. PHI: P6 W5 L1 D0
