The Opposition: Columbus Crew
D.C. United will be looking to bounce back after a 2-0 loss to New York City FC over the weekend with a quick turnaround. The team will begin a two-match road trip in Columbus, where they will take on the Crew for the first time since the 2018 MLS Playoffs. Here is everything you need to know about our next opponent:
Recent Matches
The Columbus Crew currently sit in the No. 4 spot in the Eastern Conference, just one point behind D.C. United. They are 4-3-1 on the year, with their last two matches ending in losses. The Crew have been able to earn a shutout in each of their wins, but have been unable to score more than two goals in a single game.
Players to Watch
Gyasi Zardes started his career as a homegrown player for the L.A. Galaxy and joined the Columbus Crew in 2018. He is a U.S. Men’s National Team striker, earning 44 caps with the senior team since 2015. He is definitely a player to watch in front of the net. So far this season, he has three goals. Pedro Santos and Gaston Sauro are next on the Columbus score sheet with two goals a piece. Santos also has two assists on the year.
The Crew’s defense started off the year strong. They conceded just one goal in their first three games, but have since had two losses where they allowed three goals. In their last two matches, Zack Steffen has conceded four goals, making him vulnerable to the D.C. United attack.
Head-to-Head
D.C. United and the Columbus Crew met three times in 2018, most notably in the first round of the 2018 MLS Playoffs. Columbus won their first match 3-1, which featured a goal from Pedro Santos. The second match, just a few weeks later, resulted in a 1-0 win for D.C. United despite a red card in the 51st minute. Ulises Segura scored the lone goal in the first minute of the match.
In October, the Columbus Crew traveled to Audi Field for the first time to face the Black-and-Red in the postseason. It was an intense match, which finished 1-1 at the 90-minute mark and 2-2 at the 120th-minute mark. With the teams still tied after playing both regular and extra time, the match went to penalties, where the Crew ultimately won 3-2.
D.C. United might be looking for a bit of revenge when they step out onto the pitch Wednesday night. The match kicks off at 7:30 PM ET. Check out the match on FloFC.com.
