Two clubs in opposite conferences of MLS will do battle today in a league match between the Columbus Crew and Real Salt Lake. The first-division clash scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET will be held at Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus and can be live streamed here.
After being shellacked by the Seattle Sounders 4-0 on Saturday, Real Salt Lake continue on the road in an attempt to rebound. With the club's 12-match unbeaten run done and dusted, head coach Jeff Cassar is using the defeat to test the character of his men.
"I don't enjoy it [losing like that]. I don't want it to happen often," Cassar said (via MLS's official website). "But we knew it was going to happen [eventually]. It was a fantastic run that we went on, but I'm trying to make sure the team will react the same way I do. We have work to do and it's on to the next game," he added.
"I thought [Aaron Maund's] individual battles were good, but maybe the decision making on a few plays was tough. But I thought he battled through it and it's about moving on and showing your character, and Aaron has really strong character."
"It's about focusing on Columbus now."
Will Real Salt Lake be able to rebound in Columbus tonight? Tell us @SportsWN
Tactical Preview
Player to Watch: After serving his one-match suspension for yellow card accumulation, the Crew's Federico Higuain is projected to return to starting lineup. The 29-year-old remains the creative driving force behind the club's formation, averaging 3.6 key passes per match (via WhoScored).
Columbus Crew's Projected Lineup (4-2-3-1): Clark; Barson, Wahl, Parkhurst, Williams; Trapp, Tchani; Anor, Higuain, Jimenez; Arrieta
Real Salt Lake's Projected Lineup (4-1-2-1-2): Attinella; Wingert, Borchers, Schuler, Beltran; Grabavoy, Grossman, Morales, Mulholland; Garcia, Plata
Standings
| Rnk | Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | +/- | Pts | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New England Revolution | 13 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 21 | 16 | 5 | 23 | |||
| 2 | DC United | 13 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 18 | 14 | 4 | 21 | |||
| 3 | Sporting Kansas City | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 19 | 14 | 5 | 19 | |||
| 4 | Houston Dynamo | 15 | 5 | 2 | 8 | 16 | 27 | -11 | 17 | |||
| 5 | Columbus Crew | 13 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 16 | |||
| 6 | Toronto FC | 10 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 14 | 13 | 1 | 16 | |||
| 7 | New York Red Bulls | 14 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 20 | 22 | -2 | 15 | |||
| 8 | Philadelphia Union | 15 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 19 | 24 | -5 | 14 | |||
| 9 | Chicago Fire | 12 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 20 | 22 | -2 | 13 | |||
| 10 | Impact Montreal | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 22 | -11 | 10 |
| Rnk | Team | MP | W | D | L | GF | GA | +/- | Pts | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle Sounders | 14 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 29 | 21 | 8 | 29 | |||
| 2 | Real Salt Lake | 13 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 23 | 17 | 6 | 24 | |||
| 3 | Colorado Rapids | 13 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 19 | 15 | 4 | 21 | |||
| 4 | Vancouver Whitecaps | 12 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 22 | 17 | 5 | 20 | |||
| 5 | FC Dallas | 15 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 23 | 24 | -1 | 18 | |||
| 6 | Portland Timbers | 14 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 23 | 24 | -1 | 16 | |||
| 7 | LA Galaxy | 11 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 16 | |||
| 8 | San Jose Earthquakes | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 15 | 13 | 2 | 16 | |||
| 9 | Chivas USA | 13 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 13 | 25 | -12 | 10 |
© Copyright 2024 Sports World News, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.