Columbus Crew SC midfielder Federico Higuain making a run against D.C. United defender Kofi Opare (photo credit: Jennifer Jordan Harrell)
A win would be nice but at the very least D.C. United and Columbus Crew SC supporters will be asking is that someone (anyone!) scores. Playoff teams last season, both sides are below the thin red line at the moment and hope to trigger a midseason surge Saturday night at Talen Energy Stadium (7pm EST, News Channel 8 in Washington D.C., MLS Live in Columbus).
Columbus has held the advantage in recent seasons, punctuated by last season’s 5-0 pasting; The largest margin of victory by either of these MLS original teams in a history that spans 62 games.
D.C. United may have had the better of Columbus in the overall series, but have not won a match at Talen Energy Stadium since 2007.
Much has changed for Columbus since that 5-0 thrashing. After some internal turmoil the club traded forward Kei Kamara to the New England Revolution. Since the fateful trade Columbus have failed to find a suitable replacement and thus have had troubles finding the back of the net.
Aside from Kamara scoring 22 goals last season, the Sierra Leone international was able to take the pressure off of Crew SC midfielders Ethan Finlay and Justin Mearam. Without Kamara’s strength and presence on the pitch defenses can now double team Columbus’ talented midfielders and keep them away from goal. Columbus has scored just 23 goals this season, which is tied for fifth lowest in the league.
Berhalter may have found a bit of a spark with Dilly Duka and Ola Kamara. In Crew SC’s 1-1 draw with Toronto FC this week Duka pressed the TFC centerbacks back and found Kamara on a series of a diagonal passes. The club connected on more than 579 passes at a rate with 86 percent hitting their target. Columbus seems to have found their answer up top. Now, Crew SC have to finish their chances.
After getting hosed by the Philadelphia Union 3-0 on Saturday the D.C. United defense could use a bit of respite. United were caught flat-footed on two plays early in the first half and conceded two penalties which put the game all but out of reach. United coach Ben Olsen has been tinkering with his back four, shifting Kofi Opare, Steve Birnbaum, and Bobby Boswell in and out of the center-back position. With Opare serving a red card suspension, Olsen will have to go with Boswell and Birnbaum and hope that the two can rekindle their magic from earlier in the season.
In addition to Opare, United will also be without midfielders Chris Rolfe and Miguel Aguilar (hamstring). Crew SC is still missing midfielder Federico Higuain (hernia surgery) and defender Gaston Sauro (torn PCL).
Much like with their match against the Union, United’s success will be predicated upon whether they can hold off Columbus early. D.C. cannot give up a goal early. If they are able to stem the tide of pressure from Crew SC then they will have their chances against a suspect defense (29 goals allowed).
Columbus Crew
DC United
