In a clash between rivals, the Chicago Fire visit the Columbus Crew in Cowtown on March 4th. Here’s where to find the match and what to expect.
The Columbus Crew play host to the Chicago Fire during opening weekend for the MLS 2017 season. Both teams will be looking to start off the season running.
Columbus Crew:
MLS Cup Finalists in 2015, the Crew struggled out of the gate to start the 2016 season. Following the surprise exit of a key player at mid-season, Columbus was able to somewhat stabilize the ship, but enough damage had already been done.
Left looking in the mirror wondering what went wrong, the Front Office sought to improve their team defense. New additions in the form of Jonathan Mensah, Josh Williams, and Mohammed Abu have made their mark early, helping the club to a preseason cup.
This year, with their reformed back line in tow, the Columbus Crew look to bounce back into the playoffs.
Look for Coach Gregg Berhalter to deploy his customary 4-3-2-1 formation at Mapfre Stadium on Saturday. Federico Higuain is back as the Crew’s main conduit of offense.
In the top ten of MLS for Goals Scored, last season, expect the Columbus Crew’s attack to hinge upon Higuain’s ability to create space and time for his wingers. Those wingers, Meram and Finlay, were assist-masters helping striker Ola Kamara to score 16 goals due to Higuain’s exemplary service.
Questions:
- Will Higuain still be up for the task of another full MLS season, or will Father Time catch up with him? Should he fade, who will step up?
- With only 2 goals allowed during all of preseason, will the latest iteration of the defense hold up during the regular season campaign?
Chicago Fire:
The Men in Red, equally, had a rough 2016 season. A new GM and coach installed, significant change was expected on the south side of Chicago. Success did not materialize, though, as the club was “awarded” a second wooden spoon.
The Front Office’s response to last seasons form was to instigate a type of culture change. In Nemanja Nikolic, Juninho, and Dax McCarty, the Fire have brought in three outstanding players with inherent leadership qualities, talent, and trophies in their locker.
Building with David Accam and 2016 summer arrival Michael de Leeuw, the Chicago Fire Front office seems to have constructed a playoff contender. They remain a dark horse, until shown to be otherwise, but this squad has the talent to score goals in bunches.
Carrying over their scintillating preseason goal-scoring form will be helpful, but an improved defense will be paramount to making the playoffs. The back line remains unchanged from last season, where the Fire gave up 58 goals allowed.
Former Newcastle United right back Ryan Taylor is currently training with the squad, aiming for a contract. Do not expect to see Taylor in action, however, until he is signed.
Coach Veljko Paunovic will likely send out his starters in a 4-4-2 formation. Watch out for the Lion, Michael de Leeuw looked like a man possessed against Toronto the other day. Meanwhile, Niko brings an incredible strike rate with him, and David Accam has never seemed so free on the wing, no longer expected to carry the entire scoring load.
Questions:
- Can the Fire bring their goal scoring prowess into the regular season without a true #10 on the roster?
- Who will ultimately claim the right back position?
- Will the defense struggle to shut down even the most pedestrian of MLS offenses?
Next: Chicago Fire: Takeways from the 2017 Preseason
Prediction
The two clubs came out of preseason in great form, but the MLS regular season is a completely different animal. Players will be working that much harder. Both teams seem to carry potentially prolific offenses, with substantially questionable defenses. With all that in mind, expect goals abound in this match.
How to Watch
TV: CSN Chicago \/ ABC-6, Spectrum Sports, BCSN2
Radio: Chicago: Poder 97.5 FM (Spanish) \/ Columbus: CD 102.5 FM (English) and La Mega 103.1 FM (Spanish)