The Columbus Crew travels to RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., to face D.C. United in a pivotal match for the playoff race on Saturday, October 20. The Black & Gold look to come away with three important points as the playoff race heats up. The Crew currently sits in sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings and has to win its next two matches, and hope for favorable results from matches involving Houston, D.C. and New York to qualify for the postseason.
Saturday’s match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. and is televised live regionally on FOX Sports Ohio, with Dwight Burgess and Duncan Oughton calling all the action. The game can also be heard in English on News/Talk 610 WTVN and on-line at TheCrew.com, with Neil Sika on the call, and in Spanish on La Mega 103.1, with Carlos Cordova behind the microphone.
The match comes on the heels of the 1-1 draw against Sporting KC on October 7, in which Eddie Gaven scored a stoppage time goal to keep the Crew alive in the playoff race.
This is the third and final regular season meeting between the clubs, who have split results, with the Crew edging D.C. on July 21, 1-0 behind a goal by Chris Birchall at Crew Stadium, and the Black & Gold dropping a 1-0 decision to United at RFK Stadium on August 4.
Since meeting the Crew last August, D.C. United posted a 5-3-3 record overall and a 3-0-2 home record. In fact, D.C. United has not lost at home since March 10, 2012, when it lost to Sporting KC 1-0 in its first match of the season, posting an 11-1-4 home record.
Led by 2012 MLS All-Star Game MVP Chris Pontius who has recorded 12 goals for the club, D.C. is without reigning MLS MVP and Canadian International Dwayne De Rosario, who sprained his Medial Collateral Ligament in a World Cup qualifier against Panama on Sept. 11, and has been ruled out for the season.
The Crew has only won six times in regular season at RFK Stadium, with the last victory dating back to September 4, 2010, when the Black & Gold edged D.C. United 1-0 behind a goal by Guillermo Barros Schelotto.
The Crew will hold its final regular season Pub Tour presented by Budweiser at 4th Street Bar and Grill (1810 N. 4th Street, Columbus, OH 43201), on Saturday night. Crew Brand Ambassador Frankie Hejduk will be in attendance with prizes and memorabilia as the televisions will be tuned to Fox Sports Ohio for the Black & Gold’s match at D.C. United.
Following the match, on Sunday, Oct. 21, the Crew and D.C. United face off in the final match of the MLS Reserve League. The Black & Gold will have to win the match in order to retain its MLS Reserve League East Division title earned in 2011. The match kicks off at 11:00 a.m. at the D.C. United training fields.
The Black & Gold return home for Fan Appreciation Day and African Heritage Day, on Sunday, Oct. 28, as they host Toronto FC in the final match of the regular season at 4 p.m. at Crew Stadium.
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