Getting Ready for the MLS Playoffs – Columbus Crew vs. Didier Drogba
Although losing 2-1 to Montreal Impact on the first leg of Major League Soccer’s Playoff Semifinals, MLS East Columbus Crew SC are preparing for the second leg tomorrow (Sunday).
Hoping to keep their MLS playoff hopes alive after last Sunday’s loss, the Crew are looking at the positives that came out of the match against Montreal Impact and want to build on these.
One of such positives was Columbus managing to keep Montreal’s Designated Player/Star Striker Didier Drogba from scorning at Montreal. Drogba, who arrived to Major League Soccer in the middle of this season already managed to score 12 goals in his 13 MLS matches since his Montreal Impact debut.
Crew’s midfielder Gaston Suaro, who also just arrived to the U.S. this season to play in Major League Soccer, was matched up against Drogba to shut him out of creating chances for himself to score, as well as trying to prevent him from assisting other Montreal Impact teammates to score against Columbus Crew.
“For me, it’s a challenge” said Suaro, “any time you play someone like Drogba, it is a challenge for certain. You have a very strong player that is very strong and if you get close to him, he will turn on you. The Argentine added: “he knows to move his body well and get in certain places.”
Being one of the world’s top strikers before arriving to Major League Soccer, Didier Drogba has been known for his style, which extends beyond immense talent and physical strength. Drogba is known to go down easily in an attempt to extract fouls, argue with refs and trash-talk the opposition throughout the match.
Another Columbus Crew player that is busy trying to keep Drogba at bay nowadays – on and off the pitch – is midfielder Wil Trapp: “He [Drogba] gets into our fans heads more than into ours,” said Trapp. “At the end, you have to move quickly and not argue with the ref if he calls a foul. So with a guy like Drogba, you need to know that he likes that contact and will go down. You just need to be smart and know how to deal with him.”
Columbus Crew will host Montreal Impact for the second leg of MLS semifinals tomorrow (Sunday) at MAPFRE Stadium at 5:00 p.m. ET.
