Columbus Crew SC vs. FC Dallas – Game Preview
Sunday, September 6th, Mapfre Stadium, Columbus, OH. 7:00 p.m. ET
A meeting between the third-place holders of both MLS Eastern and Western Conferences. Both teams initially look pretty safe within the playoff zone, but there is still a lot depending on their performance in these late stages of the Major League Soccer 2015 season. Especially as teams from lower rankings are fighting and can still come from behind to stanch a playoff position.
Hosts Columbus Crew SC are ranked third at the MLS Eastern Conference (11-8-8). At 41 points, Columbus Crew are 4 points ahead of strong side Toronto FC who is ranked fourth, and also a mere point below number two in the conference New York Red Bulls.
So, there is a lot at stake for Columbus on Sunday, given the opportunity presented to close the gap with the Red Bulls for one, and the danger of falling behind and letting Toronto catch if losing.
Although opening August with a 5-2 loss away to MLS expansion side Orlando City SC, the Crew since then bounced back and has any other games in August. Columbus has not loss for the past four games, and has won in the past two, last winning expansion side NYCFC 1-2 while visiting at Yankee Stadium.
Although late in the season, Columbus Crew has recently enforced its roaster with three new acquisitions: Ghanaian right-back Harrison Afful, American forward Jack Mclnerey who played recently for Montreal Impact and beforehand for Philadelphia Union and Argentinian center-back Gaston Sauro.
Visitors FC Dallas are ranked third in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference (12-8-5) and with 41 points are only a point ahead fourth-placed Sporting Kansas City, and trailing four points behind second-place Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Similar to hosts Columbus, there is a lot at stake either way for Dallas as far of the outcome of the late games this MLS season.
Dallas have won 2-0 at home against Real Salt Lake last Saturday, to break a three-game losing streak that lasted throughout August.
The last time the teams met was last season in June at Columbus, ending with a 0-0 draw. Before that, Columbus Crew had won two of the previous meetings between the teams.
