The Columbus Crew will open the final against the Seattle Sounders tomorrow night with at least one strike against them in the absence of two very important elements.
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Midfielders Darlington Nagbe and Pedro Santos will not be in uniform for medical reasons.
According to what the Columbus Dispatch Thursday, a second Crew player tested positive for COVID-19, which would explain the absence of both players in this final.
There was a first positive case on Tuesday, without the identity of the player being revealed. The names of Nagbe and Santos appear on the injured list filed by the Crew Thursday evening even though neither player has a known injury.
It’s a blow to the Crew when you consider the importance of a player like Nagbe, who has won two MLS Cups since 2015, one with the Portland Timbers and the other with Atlanta United FC.
Strange season
In this particularly strange season, it will nevertheless be special to attend a final which will be played in front of sparse stands since it is obviously impossible to reach the capacity of MAPFRE Stadium.
It will be the last final to be played in this stadium, which dates back to 1999 and was the first stadium designed specifically for soccer in MLS history.
In fact, the Crew will move next summer to a new environment in downtown Columbus.
“I think it would be great for the club and the fans [de finir avec la Coupe]. It would be a nice way to thank them for everything they have done in order to keep us in this city, ”said defender Jonathan Mensah during a video conference on Thursday.
Turnaround
To think that three years ago, we were wondering if the Crew was going to stay in Columbus. Former owner Anthony Precourt was going out of his way to move the team to Austin, Texas.
It took the Ohio attorney general to get involved, and it was ultimately Jimmy Haslam, owner of the Cleveland Browns, who bought the team, and since then, the tide has turned.
Coach Gregg Berhalter left to lead the United States National Team and was replaced by Caleb Porter. The club also attracted Tim Bezbatchenko, who was previously general manager of Toronto FC, to become its chairman.
“Some of the players they went looking for were very important to us,” said midfielder Artur.
“I also believe that the mentality has changed a lot with the change of owner. Everyone feels that there is a future here now and everyone bought what the coaching staff offered. ”
Difficult match
Coming back to this final against Seattle, it should be noted that the two teams fought a 1-1 draw on March 7, their last game before the confinement break.
Everyone in the Crew camp expects a meeting that will not be easy.
“It will be a very difficult game because they have a very good midfielder, particularly [Cristian] Roldan and [Nicolas] Lodeiro, ”Artur warned.
“I believe whoever is going to win the battle in midfield is going to give themselves a good advantage. “
For Jonathan Mensah, everything will depend on the ability of the team to stick to its principles.
“We have to stick to our game plan knowing how to recognize the moments. You have to play cleanly for more than 90 minutes against this team. ”
Ruidiaz is the man to stop
If the Columbus Crew wants to stop the Seattle Sounders, they will especially have to find a way to keep Raul Ruidiaz out of the net.
The 30-year-old Peruvian is deadly when he has a chance to hit the target, as his teammate Jordan Morris pointed out.
“Raul is quite a finisher, especially in the playoffs, you have to see his efficiency rate, he hardly ever misses his shot. “
And we have to prove him right, Ruidiaz’s statistics speak for themselves.
In three seasons, the forward has nine goals and six assists in just nine playoff games.
Regulars
The Sounders are regulars at the MLS Cup as tomorrow will be their fourth appearance in five seasons. They brought home the trophy in 2016 and last year.
“We don’t think about it that much, but if we win another cup, I think it will be a testament to the excellence of this team since they joined MLS.
Morris is in his fifth season with the Sounders, whose father is also the team doctor.
The young Seattle man has made a big contribution to his team’s success, both in the regular season and in the playoffs.
He admits, however, that things are not the same as in previous years this time around.
“It’s different this year, there was more enthusiasm in the previous finals with all the journalists and fans. “
He admits frankly that the mere presence of the team in the final is a great good for everyone.
“With all the stress and anxiety experienced this year, it’s special to be here, it’s a ray of sunshine in a difficult year. “
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