French
Deutsch2019 Columbus Crew SC season
| 2019 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Investor-operators | Dee Haslam Jimmy Haslam JW Johnson Whitney Johnson Dr. Pete Edwards | ||
| Head coach | Caleb Porter | ||
| Stadium | MAPFRE Stadium | ||
| Major League Soccer | Conference: 10th Overall: 20th | ||
| MLS Cup Playoffs | Did not qualify | ||
| U.S. Open Cup | Round of 16 | ||
| Trillium Cup | Runners-up (2 - 3) | ||
| Lamar Hunt Pioneer Cup | Winners (1 - 0) | ||
| Pacific Rim Cup | 3rd Place | ||
| Carolina Challenge Cup | Champions | ||
| Top goalscorer | League: Gyasi Zardes (13) All: Gyasi Zardes (13) | ||
| Highest home attendance | 20,865 (8/10 v. CIN) | ||
| Lowest home attendance | 5,202 (6/11 v. PIT) | ||
| Average home league attendance | 14,856 (74.4%) | ||
| Biggest win | NE 0–2 CLB (3/9) CLB 2–0 ATL (3/30) CLB 3–1 LA (5/8) CIN 1–3 CLB (8/25) ATL 1–3 CLB (9/14) CLB 2–0 PHI (9/29) | ||
| Biggest defeat | PHI 3–0 CLB (3/23) CLB 0–3 LAFC (5/11) | ||
| | |||
The 2019 Columbus Crew SC season was the club's 24th season of existence and their 24th consecutive season in Major League Soccer, the top flight of soccer in the United States and Canada. The first match of the season was on March 2 against New York Red Bulls. It was the first season under head coach Caleb Porter.
Roster
[edit]- As of match played October 6, 2019[1]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Out on loan
[edit]Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
Technical Staff
[edit]| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| President & General Manager |  Tim Bezbatchenko |
| Executive Vice President, Chief Business Officer | Steve Lyons |
| Head Coach | Caleb Porter |
| Technical Director |  Pat Onstad |
| Director of Player Personnel and Strategy |  Issa Tall |
| Director of Scouting |  Neil McGuinness |
| Assistant Coach |  Ezra Hendrickson |
| Assistant Coach | Matt Reis |
| Assistant Coach |  Pablo Moreira |
| Assistant Coach | Ben Cross |
| Director of Team Operations | Zach Crusse |
| Video Performance Analyst |  David Handgraaf |
| Head Equipment Manager | David Brauzer |
| Strength & Conditioning Coach | Brook Hamilton |
| Fitness Coach |  Federico Pizzuto |
| Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach | Kelly Roderick |
| Data Analyst | Alex Mysiw |
| Assistant Equipment Manager | Ron Meadors |
| Head Athletic Trainer | Chris Shenberger |
| Assistant Trainer | Daniel Givens |
| Dietician | Jay Short |
| Team Coordinator | Julio Velasquez |
Source: [[2]]
Non-competitive
[edit]Preseason
[edit]On December 21, 2018, Crew SC officially announced its preseason schedule, with three confirmed matches. The club began preseason by spending two days in Lewis Center, Ohio before traveling to Chula Vista, California, for a week-long training camp. On January 21, Columbus announced the addition of two friendly matches, both taking place while the club trains in California and behind closed doors. Crew SC began their friendlies by playing Japanese club Vissel Kobe to a 0–0 draw, and followed up the draw with a 1–0 victory over Mexican club Tijuana.[3] An ACL tear to Milton Valenzuela ended his 2019 season before it ever started, which caused Crew SC to acquire former player Waylon Francis for cover.[4] The following preseason game, the club beat fellow MLS side Los Angeles FC 4–2. A Jonathan Mensah own goal followed by a Patrick Mullens strike meant that Columbus were deadlocked at halftime, before scoring three goals in the second half – a brace by JJ Williams and a goal by Justin Meram.[5] After another week in Ohio, Columbus traveled to Charleston, South Carolina to play in the Carolina Challenge Cup, where Crew SC would tie the first two games 1–1, coming from behind to tie in both games, with goals scored by Gyasi Zardes and Robinho, respectively. The final match of the Carolina Challenge Cup had Columbus facing off against FC Cincinnati, where Columbus emerged victorious, winning 3–0 off a Zardes brace and Pedro Santos goal, and claiming the Carolina Challenge Cup for the third consecutive season.[6] Casper Sloth joined Crew SC on trial during preseason along with academy player Sebastian Berhalter and unsigned draft pick Justin Donawa.
| January 28 Friendly | Columbus Crew SC | 0–0 |  Vissel Kobe | Irvine, CA |
| 10:00 PM EST | Report | Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium | ||
| Note: Match was played with 35-minute halves.[7] | ||||
| January 31 Friendly | Columbus Crew SC | 1–0 |  Tijuana | Chula Vista, CA |
| 1:00 PM EST |
| Report | Stadium: Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center Attendance: 0 |
| February 4 Friendly | Los Angeles FC | 2–4 | Columbus Crew SC | Los Angeles, CA |
| 5:00 PM EST | Report |
| Stadium: Banc of California Stadium Attendance: 0 |
| February 16 Carolina Challenge Cup | Columbus Crew SC | 1–1 | Chicago Fire | Charleston, SC |
| 5:00 PM EST | Report |
| Stadium: MUSC Health Stadium |
| February 20 Carolina Challenge Cup | Charleston Battery | 1–1 | Columbus Crew SC | Charleston, SC |
| 5:00 PM EST |
| Report |
| Stadium: MUSC Health Stadium |
| February 23 Carolina Challenge Cup | FC Cincinnati | 0–3 | Columbus Crew SC | Charleston, SC |
| 5:00 PM EST |
| Report |
| Stadium: MUSC Health Stadium |
| Note: Columbus finished in 1st place in the Carolina Challenge Cup. | ||||
Competitive
[edit]The 2019 Major League Soccer schedule was released by the league on January 7, 2019[8]
Crew SC's season began with a 1–1 draw at home to the New York Red Bulls on March 2, with a headed goal from Gastón Sauro off of a corner from Federico Higuaín. That goal would be Sauro's first for the club. Robinho would come in to the game in the 79th minute to make his Crew SC debut, while Waylon Francis made his return to the Black and Gold after spending the 2018 season with the Seattle Sounders. The following week led Crew SC to Foxborough to take on the New England Revolution, where Columbus would earn their first road win on the season due in part to two goals by Gyasi Zardes and a penalty save by Zack Steffen, while this loss for the Revolution snapped their 12-game home opener unbeaten streak.[9][10] On March 16, Columbus would earn their third straight result, a 1–0 win thanks to a Sauro header off of a corner – this time from Pedro Santos. Justin Meram recorded his 200th regular-season appearance for Crew SC in this game as well.[11] Columbus visited Philadelphia on March 23 and suffered a heavy 3–0 defeat as Crew SC had two debuts for the club: Joe Bendik and JJ Williams.[12] The first month of the 2019 season ended on a high note as Crew SC beat Atlanta United 2–0 on a wet evening in Columbus, with Pedro Santos scoring in the second minute Gyasi Zardes scoring in the 39th. This contest would be Harrison Afful's 100th regular-season appearance for Crew SC.[13]
The month of April was turbulent for Columbus as they managed to score just two goals in the entire month. The first was on an April 6th clash at home against the Revolution. A headed goal from Josh Williams from a Higuaín set-piece, as well as a double yellow card by the Revolution's Michael Mancienne gave Crew SC a 1–0 win. The following week, the club were blanked in Montréal on the 13th, and then travelled home for two straight games, a 3–1 loss versus Portland on the 20th, with the loan Columbus goal being scored by Santos via a chip over goalkeeper Jeff Attinella. This was Columbus's first home loss on the year.[14] Crew SC completed their second straight home match with a 1–0 loss midweek versus D.C. United, and subsequently followed that shutout with a second one, a 2–0 loss at Houston.
“Obviously we score a goal, and we all know what happened. It’s a fair goal. 100 percent. Referee gets in the way, referee fouls Acosta. And then the referee goes and looks at the television to bail himself out. I’ve never in my life seen anything like that. Ever.”
The first match in May led to similar results as the previous four. while in the nation's capital, Columbus thought they had the game's opening goal from a shot by Pedro Santos, after a turnover from D.C. Untied's Luciano Acosta in which he, Columbus midfielder Wil Trapp and referee Ted Unkel all collided at midfield. The play was called over for review by the video assistant referee, and Ted Unkel reversed the goal citing a foul by Trapp at midfield.[15] D.C. United took the lead when Luciano Acosta capitalized on a deflection from a set piece. Just before halftime, Wayne Rooney converted a penalty in stoppage time following a handball by Wil Trapp. In the 61st minute, Paul Arriola extended D.C. United's lead to 3–0 with a far-post shot. Crew SC pulled one back in the 75th minute when a Robinho corner slipped through goalkeeper Bill Hamid's hands and into the net.[16] in the following match, Crew SC got back to their winning ways, beating an LA Galaxy side at home 3–1, with Zardes, Higuain and Hector Jimenez scoring the goals. This was Jimenez's first goal in over five years. History was also made in this game, as Higuain passed Robert Warzycha for the most assists in the regular season for the Black and Gold, while David Guzmán made his Columbus debut as well.[17] The May 11th clash was against another Los Angeles side - league leaders in Los Angeles FC. A game which saw the Crew SC debut of David Accam was largely forgettable, as Crew SC lost 3–0 at Mapfre Stadium.[18] The following weekend was a shutout loss at Minnesota United, with the only goal of the match coming in the 70th minute from former Crew SC player Ethan Finlay.[19] on May 25, After Columbus came back from two one-goal deficits, the Colorado Rapids secured a 3–2 victory with an 89th-minute goal in Commerce City, Colorado. The Rapids opened the scoring in the 23rd minute when Tommy Smith headed in a Jack Price corner at the near post. Crew SC responded five minutes later with Pedro Santos scoring from his left foot after a headed pass from Héctor Jiménez. Colorado regained the lead in the seventh minute of first-half stoppage time, as Jonathan Lewis's low shot deflected into the near post. In the 54th minute, Columbus equalized again when Federico Higuaín's cross found Gyasi Zardes, who redirected the ball past Tim Howard. The match remained level until the 89th minute, when Colorado's Nicolás Mezquida capitalized on a loose ball from a corner, tucking it into the top-left corner for the game-winner.[20] Injury news befell the team, as Designated Player Federico Higuaín tore his ACL during this game and would miss the remainder of the season.[21]
Beginning in June, the final match before the Gold Cup break, Columbus took on New York City FC at home and scored first, with the goal coming in the 28th minute via a penalty kick taken by Zardes. NYCFC scored second in the 57th minute to tie it up, only for Pedro Santos to net four minutes later to allow Columbus a one-goal lead. Columbus, however, would not hold on to this lead as NYCFC scored in the 76th minute to take one point from Columbus. This game would be the final game for Zack Steffen in Columbus, as he transferred to Manchester City on July 9th.[22] After the Gold Cup break and the resumption of league play, Columbus were shut out in back-to-back games at home, first losing 1–0 to Sporting Kansas City, including a red card shown to Harrison Afful, followed by a 2–0 loss to Orlando City.[23][24]
The club's torrid form continued into July, with Columbus once again getting shut out, this time in Sandy, Utah by Real Salt Lake, 1–0. This game marked the Crew SC debut for homegrown Aboubacar Keita.[25] On July 6, Crew SC scored their first goal in league play in over a month while facing off against the Seattle Sounders. Pedro Santos tucked home a penalty in the 14th minute. Columbus would wind up losing, as Nico Lodeiro scored in the sixth minute of stoppage time to put his club ahead 2–1 and snatch an away victory for the Sounders.[26] Columbus would lose their next game at Orlando City 1–0, and the following game would come from behind to tie Chicago Fire 2–2 thanks to a 90th minute header by debutant Romario Williams.[27] The July 20th affair between the Crew and the Montreal Impact was the first league win for Columbus since May 8th. It came with the debut of Eloy Room, as well as the first league goal for David Accam as Columbus beat the Quebecois side 2–1, with Josh Williams scoring the other goal for the Black and Gold.[28] In the following days, there was an announcement of a new player signing in Chris Cadden, who would immediately be loaned to League One side Oxford United until the start of the 2020 MLS season. The following matchday was a second-consecutive victory for Crew SC, including several firsts for players: Luis Argudo scored his first goal, and Pedro Santos scored his first brace for the club as Columbus won 3–2 at New York Red Bulls, marking the first time this season the club has earned three points after conceding the first goal.[29][30]
Overview
[edit]| Competition | First match | Last match | Starting round | Final position | Record | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Win % | |||||
| Major League Soccer | March 2, 2019 | October 6, 2019 | Matchday 1 | 20th | 34 | 10 | 8 | 16 | 39 | 47 | −8 | 29.41 |
| U.S. Open Cup | June 11, 2019 | June 18, 2019 | Fourth Round | Round of 16 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 50.00 |
| Total | 36 | 11 | 8 | 17 | 42 | 49 | −7 | 30.56 | ||||
Source: Competitions
MLS
[edit]Standings
[edit]| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Chicago Fire | 34 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 55 | 47 | +8 | 42 | |
| 9 | Montreal Impact[a] (V) | 34 | 12 | 17 | 5 | 47 | 60 | −13 | 41 | 2020 CONCACAF Champions League[b] |
| 10 | Columbus Crew SC | 34 | 10 | 16 | 8 | 39 | 47 | −8 | 38 | |
| 11 | Orlando City SC | 34 | 9 | 15 | 10 | 44 | 52 | −8 | 37 | |
| 12 | FC Cincinnati | 34 | 6 | 22 | 6 | 31 | 75 | −44 | 24 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) disciplinary points; 6) away goal differential; 7) away goals scored; 8) home goals scored; 9) home goal differential; 10) coin toss or drawing of lots.
(V) Canadian Championship winners
Notes:
- ^ Canadian clubs could not qualify for the 2020 CONCACAF Champions League through MLS play.
- ^ as 2019 Canadian Championship winners
Overall table
[edit]| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18 | Montreal Impact (V) | 34 | 12 | 17 | 5 | 47 | 60 | −13 | 41 | 2020 CONCACAF Champions League[a] |
| 19 | Houston Dynamo | 34 | 12 | 18 | 4 | 49 | 59 | −10 | 40 | |
| 20 | Columbus Crew SC | 34 | 10 | 16 | 8 | 39 | 47 | −8 | 38 | |
| 21 | Sporting Kansas City | 34 | 10 | 16 | 8 | 49 | 67 | −18 | 38 | |
| 22 | Orlando City SC | 34 | 9 | 15 | 10 | 44 | 52 | −8 | 37 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) disciplinary points; 6) away goals scored; 7) away goal differential; 8) coin toss or drawing of lots
(V) Canadian Championship winner
Notes:
- ^ As 2019 Canadian Championship champions (CAN1)
Results summary
[edit]| Overall | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pld | Pts | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD |
| 34 | 38 | 10 | 16 | 8 | 39 | 47 | −8 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 21 | 22 | −1 | 4 | 10 | 3 | 18 | 25 | −7 |
Source: MLS standings
Pld = Matches played; Pts = Points; W = Matches won; T = Matches tied; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference
Results by round
[edit]Match results
[edit]On December 20, 2018, the league announced the home openers for every club. Columbus will make their season debut at MAPFRE Stadium on the opening day of the season, playing host to New York Red Bulls – the team that eliminated Crew SC from the playoffs in 2017. Columbus will also take part in the home-opening matches for two other clubs, with a trip to Gillette Stadium to face New England Revolution on March 9 and a visit to Saputo Stadium to take on Montreal Impact on April 13.[31]
| March 2 1 | Columbus Crew SC | 1–1 | New York Red Bulls | Columbus, OH |
| 4:30 PM EST |
| Report |
| Stadium: MAPFRE Stadium Attendance: 17,931 Referee: Ted Unkel Assistant referees: Adam Wienckowski Brian Dunn Fourth official: Matthew Franz |
| March 9 2 | New England Revolution | 0–2 | Columbus Crew SC | Foxborough, MA |
| 2:00 PM EST | Report |
| Stadium: Gillette Stadium Attendance: 13,808 Referee: David Gantar Assistant referees: Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho Logan Brown Fourth official: Rubiel Vazquez |
| March 16 3 | Columbus Crew SC | 1–0 | FC Dallas | Columbus, OH |
| 2:00 PM EDT | Report |
| Stadium: MAPFRE Stadium Attendance: 9,687 Referee: Alex Chilowicz Assistant referees: Adam Garner Kevin Klinger Fourth official: Marcos de Oliveira |
| March 23 4 | Philadelphia Union | 3–0 | Columbus Crew SC | Chester, PA |
| 7:30 PM EDT | Report |
| Stadium: Talen Energy Stadium Attendance: 15,135 Referee: Ramy Touchan Assistant referees: Kyle Atkins Adam Wienckowski Fourth official: Armando Villarreal |
| March 30 5 | Columbus Crew SC | 2–0 | Atlanta United FC | Columbus, OH |
| 7:30 PM EDT |
| Report | Stadium: MAPFRE Stadium Attendance: 10,973 Referee: Joe Dickerson Assistant referees: Nick Uranga T.J. Zablocki Fourth official: Malik Badawi |
| April 6 6 | Columbus Crew SC | 1–0 | New England Revolution | Columbus, OH |
| 7:30 PM EDT |
| Report | Stadium: MAPFRE Stadium Attendance: 10,942 Referee: Rubiel Vazquez Assistant referees: Ian Anderson Andrew Bigelow Fourth official: Ismir Pekmic |
| April 13 7 | Montreal Impact | 1–0 | Columbus Crew SC | Montreal, QC |
| 1:00 PM EDT |
| Report |
| Stadium: Stade Saputo Attendance: 18,634 Referee: Armando Villarreal Assistant referees: Jason White Gianni Facchini Fourth official: Fotis Bazakos |
| April 20 8 | Columbus Crew SC | 1–3 | Portland Timbers | Columbus, OH |
| 7:30 PM EDT |
| Report | Stadium: MAPFRE Stadium Attendance: 11,707 Referee: Chris Penso Assistant referees: Kathryn Nesbitt Kyle Longville Fourth official: Lorant Varga |
| April 24 9 | Columbus Crew SC | 0–1 | D.C. United | Columbus, OH |
| 7:30 PM EDT |
| Report | Stadium: MAPFRE Stadium Attendance: 10,169 Referee: Ismail Elfath Assistant referees: Kyle Atkins Brian Dunn Fourth official: Baldomero Toledo |
| April 27 10 | Houston Dynamo | 2–0 | Columbus Crew SC | Houston, TX |
| 8:30 PM EDT | Report |
| Stadium: BBVA Compass Stadium Attendance: 15,557 Referee: Allen Chapman Assistant referees: Jeremy Hanson Jeremy Kieso Fourth official: Rosendo Mendoza |
| May 4 11 | D.C. United | 3–1 | Columbus Crew SC | Washington, D.C. |
| 8:00 PM EDT | Report | Stadium: Audi Field Attendance: 16,687 Referee: Ted Unkel Assistant referees: Philippe Brière Felisha Mariscal Fourth official: Mark Allatin |
| May 8 12 | Columbus Crew SC | 3–1 | LA Galaxy | Columbus, OH |
| 7:30 PM EDT | Report | Stadium: MAPFRE Stadium Attendance: 13,207 Referee: Rubiel Vazquez Assistant referees: Andrew Bigelow Gjovalin Bori Fourth official: Jon Freemon |
| May 11 13 | Columbus Crew SC | 0–3 | Los Angeles FC | Columbus, OH |
| 7:30 PM EDT |
| Report | Stadium: MAPFRE Stadium Attendance: 18,048 Referee: Nima Saghafi Assistant referees: Adam Garner Jeff Hosking Fourth official: Sergii Demianchuk |
| May 18 14 | Minnesota United FC | 1–0 | Columbus Crew SC | Saint Paul, MN |
| 8:00 PM EDT | Report |
| Stadium: Allianz Field Attendance: 19,600 Referee: David Gantar Assistant referees: Brian Poeschel Kyle Longville Fourth official: Baldomero Toledo |
| May 25 15 | Colorado Rapids | 3–2 | Columbus Crew SC | Commerce City, CO |
| 9:00 PM EDT | Report |
| Stadium: Dick's Sporting Goods Park Attendance: 16,843 Referee: Baldomero Toledo Assistant referees: Matt Nelson Eduardo Mariscal Fourth official: Guido Gonzalez Jr. |
| June 1 16 | Columbus Crew SC | 2–2 | New York City FC | Columbus, OH |
| 7:30 PM EDT | Report |
| Stadium: MAPFRE Stadium Attendance: 13,704 Referee: Joe Dickerson Assistant referees: Jeremy Hanson Jose Da Silva Fourth official: Rubiel Vazquez |
| June 23 17 | Columbus Crew SC | 0–1 | Sporting Kansas City | Columbus, OH |
| 5:30 PM EDT | Report | Stadium: MAPFRE Stadium Attendance: 14,015 Referee: Allen Chapman Assistant referees: Corey Rockwell Nick Uranga Fourth official: David Gantar |
| June 29 18 | Columbus Crew SC | 0–2 | Orlando City SC | Columbus, OH |
| 7:30 PM EDT |
| Report | Stadium: MAPFRE Stadium Attendance: 17,715 Referee: Rubiel Vazquez Assistant referees: Andrew Bigelow Logan Brown Fourth official: Luis Guardia |
| July 3 19 | Real Salt Lake | 1–0 | Columbus Crew SC | Sandy, UT |
| 10:00 PM EDT | Report | Stadium: Rio Tinto Stadium Attendance: 19,030 Referee: Victor Rivas Assistant referees: Jason White Cory Richardson Fourth official: Fotis Bazakos |
| July 6 20 | Columbus Crew SC | 1–2 | Seattle Sounders FC | Columbus, OH |
| 7:30 PM EDT | Report | Stadium: MAPFRE Stadium Attendance: 14,183 Referee: Chris Penso Assistant referees: Jeffrey Greeson Eric Boria Fourth official: Marcos de Oliveira |
| July 13 21 | Orlando City SC | 1–0 | Columbus Crew SC | Orlando, FL |
| 7:30 PM EDT | Report | Stadium: Exploria Stadium Attendance: 22,397 Referee: David Gantar Assistant referees: Kyle Longville Elvis Osmanovic Fourth official: Richard Gamache |
| July 17 22 | Chicago Fire | 2–2 | Columbus Crew SC | Bridgeview, IL |
| 9:00 PM EDT |
| Report |
| Stadium: SeatGeek Stadium Attendance: 7,482 Referee: Armando Villarreal Assistant referees: Brian Poeschel Jose Da Silva Fourth official: Lorant Varga |
| July 20 23 | Columbus Crew SC | 2–1 | Montreal Impact | Columbus, OH |
| 7:30 PM EDT |
| Report | Stadium: MAPFRE Stadium Attendance: 15,124 Referee: Robert Sibiga Assistant referees: C.J. Morgante Mike Kampmeinert Fourth official: Greg Dopka |
| July 27 24 | New York Red Bulls | 2–3 | Columbus Crew SC | Harrison, NJ |
| 7:30 PM EDT | Report |
| Stadium: Red Bull Arena Attendance: 16,126 Referee: Fotis Bazakos Assistant referees: Kathryn Nesbitt Adam Garner Fourth official: Michael Radchuk |
| August 3 25 | San Jose Earthquakes | 1–1 | Columbus Crew SC | San Jose, CA |
| 10:00 PM EDT | Report | Stadium: Avaya Stadium Attendance: 17,088 Referee: Alex Chilowicz Assistant referees: Eduardo Mariscal T.J. Zablocki Fourth official: Elton Garcia |
| August 10 26 | Columbus Crew SC | 2–2 | FC Cincinnati | Columbus, OH |
| 7:30 PM EDT |
| Report |
| Stadium: MAPFRE Stadium Attendance: 20,865 Referee: Silviu Petrescu Assistant referees: Gianni Facchini Philippe Brière Fourth official: Thomas Snyder |
| August 17 27 | Columbus Crew SC | 2–2 | Toronto FC | Columbus, OH |
| 7:30 PM EDT |
| Report | Stadium: MAPFRE Stadium Attendance: 17,494 Referee: Ramy Touchan Assistant referees: Ian Anderson Matt Nelson Fourth official: Rubiel Vazquez |
| August 21 28 | New York City FC | 1–0 | Columbus Crew SC | New York, NY |
| 7:00 PM EDT |
| Report | Stadium: Yankee Stadium Attendance: 19,828 Referee: Allen Chapman Assistant referees: Brian Dunn Nick Uranga Fourth official: Lorant Varga |
| August 25 29 | FC Cincinnati | 1–3 | Columbus Crew SC | Cincinnati, OH |
| 6:00 PM EDT | Report | Stadium: Nippert Stadium Attendance: 30,611 Referee: Timothy Ford Assistant referees: Adam Wienckowski Kevin Klinger Fourth official: Elvis Osmanovic |
| August 31 30 | Columbus Crew SC | 1–1 | Chicago Fire | Columbus, OH |
| 7:30 PM EDT |
| Report |
| Stadium: MAPFRE Stadium Attendance: 16,438 Referee: Drew Fischer Assistant referees: Jason White Oscar Mitchell-Carvalho Fourth official: Yusri Rudolf |
| September 14 31 | Atlanta United FC | 1–3 | Columbus Crew SC | Atlanta, GA |
| 7:00 PM EDT |
| Report | Stadium: Mercedes-Benz Stadium Attendance: 68,046 Referee: Alan Kelly Assistant referees: Logan Brown Eric Weisbrod Fourth official: Ismail Elfath |
| September 21 32 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 1–1 | Columbus Crew SC | Vancouver, BC |
| 5:00 PM EDT | Report | Stadium: BC Place Attendance: 16,683 Referee: Alex Chilowicz Assistant referees: Eduardo Mariscal Micheal Barwegen Fourth official: Tim Ford |
| September 29 33 | Columbus Crew SC | 2–0 | Philadelphia Union | Columbus, OH |
| 5:00 PM EDT |
| Report | Stadium: MAPFRE Stadium Attendance: 20,353 Referee: Rubiel Vazquez Assistant referees: Jason White Benjamin Hall-Volpenhein Fourth official: Marcos de Oliveira |
| October 6 34 | Toronto FC | 1–0 | Columbus Crew SC | Toronto, ON |
| 4:00 PM EDT | Report |
| Stadium: BMO Field Attendance: 23,692 Referee: Armando Villarreal Assistant referees: Jeffrey Greeson Ian McKay Fourth official: David Barrie |
MLS Cup Playoffs
[edit]The Columbus Crew failed to qualify for the playoffs in this season.
U.S. Open Cup
[edit]| June 11 Fourth Round | Columbus Crew SC (MLS)  | 1–0 |  Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (USLC) | Columbus, OH |
| 7:00 PM EDT |
| Report | Stadium: MAPFRE Stadium Attendance: 5,202 Referee: Matthew Franz Assistant referees: Jeffrey Swartzel James Duling Fourth official: Kevin Fikar |
| June 18 Round of 16 | Columbus Crew SC (MLS) | 2–3 |  Atlanta United FC (MLS) | Columbus, OH |
| 7:00 PM EDT | Report |
| Stadium: MAPFRE Stadium Attendance: 8,659 Referee: Guido Gonzalez Jr. Assistant referees: Ian McKay Tom Felice Fourth official: James Duling |
Statistics
[edit]Appearances and goals
[edit]Federico Higuaín entered the season with 196 career appearances for Crew SC, good for eighth place all-time, and 58 goals for the club, good for third place. In order to move up the charts in each category, he needed to appear in four matches and score 17 goals.[32] He appeared for the fourth time on the season on March 23, moving up the charts in the Crew's defeat against Philadelphia Union.[33]
Justin Meram also came into the 2019 season sitting in the top ten in club history in both appearances and goals: his 225 appearances were good for fifth place in club history, and his 43 goals were good for sixth. In order to move up, Meram needed to play in 17 games and score 10 goals.[32] He was traded on May 7, however, after playing just nine matches without scoring, departing without moving up in either category.[34]
Club captain Wil Trapp was tenth place in club history in appearances coming into the season, with 177 games played for the Crew. In order to move up, he needed to appear at least 11 times in all competitions.[32] Trapp made his 11th appearance on May 8, starting in the club's victory against LA Galaxy.[35]
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | MLS | U.S. Open Cup | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||
| 1 | GK |  CUW | Eloy Room | 12 | 0 | 12+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 2 | MF | USA | Luis Argudo | 23 | 1 | 10+11 | 1 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | USA | Josh Williams | 16 | 2 | 15+1 | 2 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 4 | DF |  GHA | Jonathan Mensah | 24 | 0 | 23+1 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 5 | FW | CAN | Jordan Hamilton | 4 | 0 | 0+4 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 6 | MF | USA | Wil Trapp | 28 | 0 | 26+2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | POR | Pedro Santos | 35 | 11 | 30+3 | 11 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 8 | MF |  BRA | Artur | 32 | 0 | 28+2 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 9 | MF |  CRC | David Guzmán | 18 | 0 | 13+3 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 10 | MF |  ARG | Federico Higuaín | 14 | 1 | 13+1 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 11 | FW | USA | Gyasi Zardes | 28 | 13 | 28+0 | 13 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 12 | GK | USA | Ben Lundgaard | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 13 | MF | USA | Ricardo Clark | 7 | 0 | 4+3 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 14 | DF | CRC | Waylon Francis | 18 | 0 | 16+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | USA | Hector Jiménez | 25 | 1 | 19+4 | 1 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 17 | FW |  JAM | Romario Williams | 7 | 1 | 1+6 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 17 | DF | GHA | Lalas Abubakar | 1 | 0 | 1+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | CRC | Luis Díaz | 13 | 2 | 9+4 | 2 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 19 | DF | ARG | Milton Valenzuela | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 20 | MF |  VEN | Eduardo Sosa | 8 | 0 | 4+4 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 21 | DF | USA | Alex Crognale | 14 | 0 | 9+3 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 24 | GK | USA | Jon Kempin | 5 | 0 | 3+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 25 | DF | GHA | Harrison Afful | 24 | 0 | 22+0 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 27 | MF | GHA | Edward Opoku | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 29 | MF | GHA | David Accam | 17 | 4 | 8+7 | 2 | 2+0 | 2 |
| 30 | DF | USA | Aboubacar Keita | 10 | 0 | 8+2 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 31 | DF | USA | Connor Maloney | 11 | 0 | 9+1 | 0 | 0+1 | 0 |
| 33 | FW | USA | JJ Williams | 9 | 0 | 3+4 | 0 | 0+2 | 0 |
| 34 | MF |  MAR | Youness Mokhtar | 8 | 1 | 5+3 | 1 | 0+0 | 0 |
| - | DF | SCO | Chris Cadden | 0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
 | Own Goal | 0 | 3 | - | 2 | - | 1 | ||
| Players who left Columbus during the season: | |||||||||
| 1 | GK | USA | Joe Bendik | 6 | 0 | 6+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 9 | MF |  IRQ | Justin Meram | 9 | 0 | 4+5 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | BRA | Robinho | 21 | 0 | 13+6 | 0 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 22 | DF | ARG | Gastón Sauro | 17 | 2 | 15+0 | 2 | 2+0 | 0 |
| 23 | GK | USA | Zack Steffen | 13 | 0 | 13+0 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 28 | MF |  DEN | Niko Hansen | 9 | 0 | 2+7 | 0 | 0+0 | 0 |
| 32 | FW | USA | Patrick Mullins | 11 | 0 | 2+7 | 0 | 2+0 | 0 |
Source: Columbus stats
Disciplinary record
[edit]| No. | Pos. | Name | MLS | U.S. Open Cup | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |  | | | | | |||
| 1 | GK | Eloy Room | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | MF | Luis Argudo | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 3 | DF | Josh Williams | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | Jonathan Mensah | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 5 | FW | Jordan Hamilton | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | MF | Wil Trapp | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | Pedro Santos | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | Artur | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 9 | MF | David Guzmán | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | Federico Higuaín | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 11 | FW | Gyasi Zardes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | GK | Ben Lundgaard | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | MF | Ricardo Clark | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | DF | Waylon Francis | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | Hector Jiménez | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 17 | FW | Romario Williams | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | DF | Lalas Abubakar | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | Luis Díaz | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 19 | DF | Milton Valenzuela | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | MF |  Eduardo Sosa | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 21 | DF | Alex Crognale | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 24 | GK | Jon Kempin | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | DF | Harrison Afful | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
| 27 | MF | Edward Opoku | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | MF | David Accam | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 30 | DF | Aboubacar Keita | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | DF | Connor Maloney | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 33 | MF | JJ Williams | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | MF | Youness Mokhtar | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| - | DF | Chris Cadden | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Players who left Columbus during the season: | ||||||||
| 1 | GK | Joe Bendik | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | MF |  Justin Meram | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | MF | Robinho | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | DF | Gastón Sauro | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 23 | GK | Zack Steffen | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 28 | MF | Niko Hansen | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 32 | FW | Patrick Mullins | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Source: Columbus stats
Clean sheets
[edit]Zack Steffen came into the season with the fifth-most shutouts in club history, keeping 22 through his first three seasons with the club. In order to move up on the all-time charts, he needed to keep two clean sheets in 2019.[32] Steffen accomplished that mark in just three matches, moving up the chart following a clean sheet against FC Dallas on March 16.[36]
| No. | Name | MLS | U.S. Open Cup | Total | Games Played |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eloy Room | 1 | 0 | 1 | 12 |
| 12 | Ben Lundgaard | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | Jon Kempin | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| Players who left Columbus during the season: | |||||
| 1 | Joe Bendik | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| 23 | Zack Steffen | 4 | 0 | 4 | 13 |
Source: Columbus stats
Transfers
[edit]In
[edit]| Pos. | Player | Transferred from | Fee/notes | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FW | JJ Williams | Kentucky Wildcats | Drafted in the First Round of the 2019 MLS SuperDraft. Signed as a Generation Adidas player. | January 11, 2019 | [37] |
| MF | Ricardo Clark | Columbus Crew SC | Signed a new contract | January 17, 2019 | [38] |
| MF | Robinho | Ceará | Transfer, terms undisclosed | January 18, 2019 | [39] |
| DF | Aboubacar Keita | Virginia Cavaliers | Signed as a Homegrown Player | January 22, 2019 | [40] |
| DF | Waylon Francis | Seattle Sounders FC | Traded for $50,000 in general allocation money | February 5, 2019 | [41] |
| MF | David Guzmán | Portland Timbers | Traded for a 2019 international roster slot | May 7, 2019 | [42] |
| MF | David Accam | Philadelphia Union | Traded for $100,000 in targeted allocation money, $400,000 in general allocation money and a 2019 international roster slot | May 8, 2019 | [43] |
| FW | Romario Williams | Atlanta United FC | Traded for $100,000 in general allocation money | July 1, 2019 | [44] |
| MF | Luis Díaz | C.S. Herediano | Transfer, $1,000,000. Signed as a Young Designated Player. | July 2, 2019 | [45] |
| GK | Eloy Room | PSV Eindhoven | Signed as a free agent | July 5, 2019 | [46] |
| FW | Jordan Hamilton | Toronto FC | Traded for Patrick Mullins, $50,000 in targeted allocation money, and right of first refusal for an unnamed player | July 11, 2019 | [47] |
| MF | Youness Mokhtar |  Stabæk Fotball | Signed as a free agent | July 19, 2019 | [48] |
| DF | Chris Cadden | Motherwell F.C. | Signed as a free agent, then loaned | July 23, 2019 | [49] |
| DF | Harrison Afful | Columbus Crew SC | Signed a new contract | October 30, 2019 | [50] |
| MF | Darlington Nagbe | Atlanta United FC | Traded for $700,000 in targeted allocation money, $150,000 in general allocation money, a 2020 international roster slot, and $200,000 in 2021 targeted allocation money if certain performance conditions are met. | November 13, 2019 | [51] |
| MF |  Axel Sjöberg | Colorado Rapids | Claimed off waivers | December 4, 2019 | [52] |
| GK | Matt Lampson | LA Galaxy | Signed as free agent | December 12, 2019 | [53] |
| DF | Vito Wormgoor | SK Brann | Signed as free agent | December 18, 2019 | [54] |
| MF |  Lucas Zelarayán | Tigres UANL | Transfer, $7,000,000. Acquired as a designated player. | December 19, 2019 | [55] |
Out
[edit]| Pos. | Player | Transferred to | Fee/notes | Date | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MF | Justin Meram | Atlanta United FC | Traded for $100,000 in general allocation money, and a second round draft pick in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft. If Atlanta transfer Meram to a club outside of MLS, Columbus will retain a percentage of the transfer fee. | May 7, 2019 | [34] |
| GK | Zack Steffen |  Manchester City | Transfer, £7,000,000 | July 9, 2019 | [56] |
| MF | Robinho | Orlando City SC | Traded for $50,000 in 2019 targeted allocation money. Should certain performance conditions be met Columbus will also receive $50,000 in 2019 targeted allocation money and $50,000 in 2020 general allocation money | July 11, 2019 | [57] |
| FW | Patrick Mullins | Toronto FC | Traded with $50,000 in targeted allocation money, and right of first refusal for an unnamed player for Jordan Hamilton | July 11, 2019 | [47] |
| GK | Joe Bendik | Philadelphia Union | Traded for a second round draft pick in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft. If certain performance conditions are met, Columbus will receive $50,000 in general allocation money | July 19, 2019 | [58] |
| DF | Gastón Sauro | Deportivo Toluca F.C. | Transfer, terms undisclosed | August 7, 2019 | [59] |
| MF | Niko Hansen | Houston Dynamo | Traded for $75,000 in targeted allocation money | August 8, 2019 | [60] |
| GK | Ben Lundgaard | Atlanta United 2 | Option Declined | October 21, 2019 | [61] |
| CB | Alex Crognale | Birmingham Legion | Option Declined | October 21, 2019 | [61] |
| DM | David Guzman | Saprissa | Option Declined | October 21, 2019 | [61] |
| MF | Edward Opoku | Retired | Option Declined | October 21, 2019 | [61] |
| MF | Eduardo Sosa | Fort Lauderdale CF | Option Declined | October 21, 2019 | [61] |
| DF | Harrison Afful | Columbus Crew SC | Contract expired | October 21, 2019 | [61] |
| MF | Ricardo Clark | Retired | Contract expired | October 21, 2019 | [61] |
| MF | Federico Higuain | D.C. United | Contract expired | October 21, 2019 | [61] |
| FW | Romario Williams | Miami FC | Contract expired | October 21, 2019 | |
| MF | Luis Argudo | Inter Miami CF | Selected in the 2019 MLS Expansion Draft. Columbus receives $50,000 in general allocation money | November 19, 2019 | [62] |
| DF | Lalas Abubakar | Colorado Rapids | Traded for $400,000 in 2020 general allocation money and a 2020 international roster slot | November 20, 2019 | [63] |
| MF | Connor Maloney | San Antonio FC | Option Declined | November 21, 2020 | [64] |
Loan out
[edit]| Pos. | Player | Loanee club | Length/Notes | Beginning | End | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DF | Aboubacar Keita | Richmond Kickers | On a match-by-match basis. Columbus retains right to recall at any time. | March 6, 2019 | June 23, 2019 | [65][66] |
| GK | Ben Lundgaard | Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC | On a match-by-match basis. Columbus retains right to recall at any time. | March 6, 2019 | June 21, 2019 | [65][67] |
| October 7, 2019 | November 3, 2019 | [68] | ||||
| DF | Alex Crognale | Indy Eleven | On a match-by-match basis. Columbus retains right to recall at any time. | March 15, 2019 | May 11, 2019 | [69][70] |
| MF | Edward Opoku | Birmingham Legion FC | On a match-by-match basis. Columbus retains right to recall at any time. | March 22, 2019 | August 17, 2019 | [71] |
| MF | Luis Argudo | Hartford Athletic | On a match-by-match basis. Columbus retains right to recall at any time. | April 11, 2019 | April 23, 2019 | [72][73] |
| GK | Jon Kempin | Hartford Athletic | On a match-by-match basis. Columbus retains right to recall at any time. | April 11, 2019 | April 23, 2019 | [72][73] |
| FW | JJ Williams | Birmingham Legion | On a match-by-match basis. Columbus retains right to recall at any time. | April 12, 2019 | April 20, 2019 | [72][74] |
| May 9, 2019 | June 23, 2019 | [75][66] | ||||
| July 13, 2019 | October 26, 2019 | [76] | ||||
| DF | Lalas Abubakar | Colorado Rapids | Remainder of the 2019 Major League Soccer season. Columbus receives $125,000 in targeted allocation money. | May 8, 2019 | End of Season | [77] |
| DF | Chris Cadden | Oxford United | Remainder of the 2019 Major League Soccer season | Jul 23, 2019 | End of Season | [49] |
MLS Draft picks
[edit]Draft picks are not automatically signed to the team roster. Only those who are signed to a contract will be listed as transfers in. The picks for Columbus Crew SC are listed below:
| 2019 Columbus Crew SC SuperDraft Picks[78] | ||||||
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | College | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 | JJ Williams | FW | Kentucky | ||
| 3 | 66 |  Justin Donawa | MF | Dartmouth | ||
| 3 | 90 | Rafael Mentzingen | MF | Valparaiso | ||
Awards
[edit]| Week | Starters | Bench | Opponent(s) | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gastón Sauro | New York Red Bulls | [1] | |
| 2 | Caleb Porter (coach) Gyasi Zardes | New England Revolution | [2] | |
| 3 | Gastón Sauro | Zack Steffen | FC Dallas | [3] |
| 5 | Zack Steffen | Atlanta United FC | [4] | |
| 6 | Zack Steffen | New England Revolution | [5] | |
| 11 | Federico Higuaín | LA Galaxy Los Angeles FC | [6] | |
| 14 | Pedro Santos | New York City FC | [7] | |
| 20 | David Accam | Chicago Fire Montreal Impact | [8] | |
| 21 | Pedro Santos | New York Red Bulls | [9] | |
| 22 | Eloy Room | San Jose Earthquakes | [10] | |
| 23 | Pedro Santos | FC Cincinnati | [11] | |
| 25 | Gyasi Zardes |