[dropcap]A[/dropcap]pproaching the midpoint of the 2015 MLS Regular season, two Eastern Conference foes will be looking to re-establish top form in what should be a physical match on Wednesday night at MAPFRE Stadium.
With match time temperature set to be in the high 70’s and partly cloudy, the pitch will be in ideal condition for a high-scoring contest. Favorable pitch conditions as well as healthy rosters for Columbus Crew SC and the New England Revolution will facilitate plenty of attack opportunities from its key midfield personnel.
Getting on the scoreboard first will be important to both sides, but expect this match to feature a fair share of verbal exchanges and physicality for the entire 90 minutes.
What to expect from the New England Revolution
Projected Starting XI (4-4-2) GK- Shuttleworth; D- Woodberry, Farrell, Goncalves (captain), Tierney; M – Dorman, Caldwell, Kobayashi, Nguyen, ; F- Agudelo, Davies
Standings: 2nd place, Eastern Conference, 24 points
Form: T-T-L-W-L, 5 points
Coming off a 2-1 loss to Supporters’ Shield leaders D.C. United, New England continues to have difficulties versus MLS opponents on the road. Winless away from Gillette Stadium since April 19, a return to MAPFRE Stadium may change the Revs’ road woes. In their last trip to Columbus, they claimed a 4-2 victory in the first leg of the Eastern Conference MLS Cup Playoffs.
At the front of the New England attack, forward Charlie Davies will be looking to get the Revs on the board early. Leading New England with a club-high seven goals, the former USMNT team member possesses a high soccer IQ, finding gaps on set-pieces when opposing teams resort to ball-watching. An unmarked Davies via corner-kick or counter-attack will present an enormous challenge for Columbus center back Michael Parkhurst.
Fueling the Revs midfield attack, Lee Nguyen is one of the league’s best at timed runs off the counter-attack and is not afraid to take a crack at the net, registering a club-high 35 shots. Despite not being named to the 23-man roster for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, exploiting the Crew SC defense and flustering Steve Clark throughout the match will offer Nguyen quite the consolation prize. Alongside Nguyen, forward Juan Agudelo will do all they can to put pressure Crew SC’s Tony Tchani and Mohammed Saeid. Winning the advantage on possession, 50/50 balls, and neutralizing Federico Higuain will all be key to a New England victory.
What to expect from Columbus Crew SC
Projected Starting XI (4-2-3-1): GK -Clark; D- Jiménez, Parkhurst, Pogatetz, Francis; M- Tchani, Saeid; Finlay, Higuain, Meram; F- Kamara
Standings: 6th, Eastern Conference, 17 points
Form: T-T-L-L-T, 3 points
Winless in its last six MLS regular season matches, Crew SC returns to MAPFRE Stadium with a strong urgency to get the result they need in the form of three points. To give the locker room and its fan base renewed confidence for the 2015 campaign, the time and opportunity couldn’t come sooner.
In an official interview with ColumbusCrewSC.com’s Brad Friedman, defender and team Captain Michael Parkhurst re-emphasized his club’s mindset heading into the match. “There are no moral victories…we need to start winning games, we need to start climbing up the table.”
In order to get three points, neutralizing New England attack opportunities and matching the physical intensity of its opponent will need to happen for Head Coach and Sporting Director Gregg Berhalter’s club. Known as a team that can distribute the ball with accuracy and control, Crew SC will be looking to regain top offensive form and convert more shot opportunities in the final third.
For Kei Kamara to get headers and volleys on frame, the flow of the match will greatly hinge on the performance Crew SC defender Waylon Francis. Running high up the flank, accurate crosses from Francis to Kamara end up in the back of the net. The Costa Rican is currently tied for the lead in assists among defenders with four.
If the Crew SC backline can isolate Nguyen and Davies in the final third, maintaining possession at the midfield will be key to facilitate the short-passing tactics of the Columbus attack. Just when the defense expects another short ball option, Ethan Finlay knows how to create open-passing alleys at blazing speeds. Leading the Black & Gold with eight assists, giving Finlay touches in the final third to heavily penetrate the New England defense will put the pressure on Revs keeper Bobby Shuttleworth.
Open space for Justin Meram and Federico Higuain are often a result of disciplined ball possession and superior ball distribution from the defensive midfield. For this to happen, Tchani and Saeid cannot afford costly giveaways or poor challenges at the midfield. By winning the physical battle without fouling, the flow of the match heavily benefits Crew SC’s attacking momentum with Higuain as the key facilitator.
Predictions
Knowing this was the same New England side that humiliated Crew SC and the Nordecke faithful in a bitter cold playoff atmosphere, the Black & Gold have plenty of motivation to heat back up and escape from the doldrums of the MLS Eastern Conference. Tonight’s match will be a litmus test to see if Gregg Berhalter’s squad can put together a complete 90-minute performance against elite MLS competition.
Kamara, Finlay, and Higuain are the conductors of the “Crew SC Express” that can burn opponents for periods of any given match (see MLS official statsheet). Expect a pair of goals from the Crew SC attack in the first half stemming from well-timed Finlay runs and crosses. Focusing the attention on these three as well as Higuain will allow Meram will find gaps in the Revs defense to bend in shots on Bobby Shuttleworth.
Known for its passing accuracy, the Achilles heel of Crew SC is the counter-attack stemming from costly giveaways and being out of position. Taking notes from the Montreal Impact film, expect Nguyen and Davies to exploit the Columbus back-line at vulnerable stages of the match. Nguyen is one of the best in the league at finishing runs and drawing penalty kicks from poorly timed challenges.
Approaching the last ten minutes of the match, don’t be surprised to see multiple players booked for a yellow card as the midfield battle may resemble the physical intensity of a rugby match. With a score deadlocked and both sides looking to pick up three points, substitutions will be key for both managers. Expect at least four minutes of injury time and substitutions at the forward/attacking midfield position. Plenty of shots on goal will be accompanied by a series of questionable foul calls, leading to key set piece opportunities for Pipa. Key saves by Steve Clark in the waning moments of the match keeps the game tied. Columbus finds the net three times, but have only one point to add to the Eastern Conference table.
Columbus Crew SC – 3
New England Revolution – 3
