COLUMBUS
CREW
2021 REGULAR SEASON:
(6-7-6, 24 pts.)
NEW YORK
RED BULLS
2021 REGULAR SEASON:
(5-9-4, 19 pts.)
Date: Wednesday, August 18
Match Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Kickoff: 8:08 p.m. ET
Location: Red Bull Arena (Harrison, NJ)
Local TV: Bally Sports Ohio Neil Sika (play-by-play) Jordan Angeli (analyst)
Brett Hiltbrand (sideline)
97.1 The Fan [Radio]: Chris Doran (play-by-play)
ColumbusCrew.com Spanish Audio Stream: Juan Valladares (play-by-play)
OHIOHEALTH PLAYER AVAILABILITY REPORT
OUT: Artur – R Hip Injury Luis Diaz – R Shoulder Injury Marlon Hairston – L Thigh Injury Perry Kitchen – L Knee Injury Aidan Morris – L Knee Injury Milton Valenzuela – R Thigh Injury Josh Williams – L Ankle Injury
QUESTIONABLE None
Health and Safety Protocols
A player may be listed as “Questionable” or “Out” due to Health and Safety Protocols
for the following reasons:
• Quarantine due to participating in high risk behavior. • Quarantine related to being a high risk close contact. • Pending COVID-19 test results. • An inconclusive COVID-19 test result. • A positive COVID-19 test or a confirmed case of COVID-19.
MLS REGULAR-SEASON MATCH 20: COLUMBUS CREW @ NEW YORK RED BULLS
MISCELLANEOUS TEAM NOTES
LAST MATCH RECAP
COLUMBUS CREW FALLS TO CHICAGO FIRE FC
On Sunday, Columbus Crew traveled to the Windy City to face
Chicago Fire FC at Soldier Field. Fire midfielder Luka Stojanovic
scored the match’s only goal in the 77th minute to give Chi-
cago a 1-0 win. The match marked midfielder Derrick Etienne
Jr.’s 100th regular-season appearance in Major League Soccer.
Additionally, Crew goalkeeper Eloy Room recorded five saves
and defender Jonathan Mensah added eight clearances.
COLUMBUS CREW VS. NEW YORK RED BULLS AT A GLANCE
Columbus Crew record: 30-30-12 (93 GF, 103 GA)
Home games: 18-12-7 (51 GF, 47 GA)*
Road games: 12-18-5 (42 GF, 56 GA)
*Includes MLS Is Back Tournament
03/02/2019 CLB 1 vs. NYRB 1 D Historic Crew Stadium
07/28/2019 CLB 3 at NYRB 2 W Red Bull Arena
07/16/2020 CLB 2 vs. NYRB 0 W ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
THE CREW TRAVELS TO FACE NEW YORK RED BULLS ON WEDNESDAY
Columbus Crew travels to Harrison, New Jersey for a contest against the
New York Red Bulls on Wednesday, August 18. The match is set to be the
73rd all-time regular-season meeting between the two sides. The Crew
currently have a six-match regular-season unbeaten streak against the
Red Bulls dating back to the 2017 season. Additionally, the contest is a
rematch of the First Round of the 2020 MLS Cup Playoffs. In that match,
the Black & Gold took a 3-2 win over the Red Bulls on November 21, 2020
at Historic Crew Stadium.
LAST REGULAR-SEASON MEETING
The two sides last faced off in regular-season action on July 16, 2020 at
the MLS is Back Tournament. The Crew opened the scoring in the 22nd
minute through forward Gyasi Zardes and added a second goal in the
47th minute through midfielder Lucas Zelarayan. In the end, the Black &
Gold walked away with a 2-0 victory.
COACHES
Caleb Porter: 96-79-71 (Portland Timbers: ‘13 – ’17; Columbus Crew: ’19 – Present) vs.
Gerhard Struber: 5-9-4 (New York Red Bulls ’20 – Present)
Records listed are MLS regular-season totals
COLUMBUS CREW NEW YORK RED BULLS
2021 MLS Regular Season: 2021 MLS Regular Season:
Points: 24 Points: 19
Points Per Game: 1.26 Points Per Game: 1.06
Eastern Conference: Eighth Eastern Conference: Ninth
Home: 4-2-3 Home: 4-2-2
Away: 2-5-3 Away: 1-7-2
Goals For: 21 Goals For: 22
Goals Against: 24 Goals Against: 24
+/-: -3 +/-: -2
2021 Regular-Season Leaders
Goals: Zelarayan (6) Goals: Three players tied (4)
Assists: Santos, Zelarayan (3) Assists: Fabio (6)
Shots: Zelarayan (47) Shots: Fabio (52)
Shots on Goal: Zelarayan (16) Shots on Goal: Fabio, Klimala (10)
Fouls Suffered: Zelarayan (39) Fouls Suffered: Duncan (30)
Fouls Committed: Santos (27) Fouls Committed: Duncan (34)
Yellow Cards Issued: Three players tied (4) Yellow Cards Issued: Duncan, Yearwood (5)
Saves Leader: Room (49) Saves Leader: Coronel (52)
GAA Leader: Bush (1.00) GAA Leader: Coronel (1.33)
Wins: Room (5) Wins: Coronel (5)
BLACK & GOLD NOTES
WHERE TO WATCH/LISTEN
Wednesday’s road match against the New York Red Bulls
begins at 8:00 p.m. ET and is set to be locally televised on Bally
Sports Ohio and via stream on the Bally Sports App. Neil Sika,
Jordan Angeli and Brett Hiltbrand are slated to have the call in
English. Pre-match coverage will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET on Bally
Sports Ohio. The contest is also available in English on 97.1 The
Fan, as well as via stream on 971TheFan.com, with Chris Dorancalling the match. A Spanish audio stream is available on ColumbusCrew.com, with Juan Valladares on the call.
ETIENNE JR. RECORDS 100TH MLS REGULAR SEASON
APPEARANCE
With his start in Sunday’s road contest at Chicago Fire FC,
midfielder Derrick Etienne Jr. recorded his 100th Major League
Soccer regular-season appearance. Since joining MLS prior to
the 2016 season, Etienne Jr. has made 40 starts to go along
with his 100 appearances for the New York Red Bulls, FC Cin-
cinnati and Columbus Crew. During that time, he has scored
seven goals and added eight assists. He was part of the 2018
Supporters’ Shield winning New York Red Bulls side and won
MLS Cup last season for the Crew, scoring the Club’s second
goal in MLS Cup.
ROOM MAKES FIVE SAVES FOR SIXTH TIME THIS REGULAR-
SEASON, EIGHTH ACROSS ALL COMPETITIONS
Goalkeeper Eloy Room made five saves in Sunday’s match
against Chicago Fire FC. This is the sixth time this season in
regular-season action that Room has made five or more saves
in a match, and the eighth across all competitions for the Crew
this year. Room’s season-high in saves this regular season is
six, set against New York City FC (July 17). Additionally, Room
made eight saves in a Concacaf Champions League road con-
test at CF Monterrey (May 5).
COLUMBUS CREW UNDEFEATED AGAINST NEW YORK RED
BULLS SINCE 2017
Entering Wednesday’s match, the Crew currently holds a six-
match regular-season unbeaten streak against the Red Bulls
dating back to the 2017 season. During that time, the Black
& Gold have posted a record of 4-0-2 and have outscored the
Red Bulls 13-9. Defender Jonathan Mensah, midfielder Pedro
Santos, and forward Gyasi Zardes have each scored twice
against New York Red Bulls during the span.
MENSAH PROVIDES SEVEN CLEARANCES, SIXTH TIME THIS
REGULAR SEASON WITH SEVEN OR MORE IN A MATCH
Defender Jonathan Mensah made seven clearances in Sun- day’s match at Chicago Fire FC. This was the sixth time in
regular-season action that Mensah has made seven or more
clearances in a match. Notably, the Crew have posted a record
of 3-1-2 when Mensah records seven or more clearances in a
match.
COLUMBUS CREW SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CAPS (AS OF AUGUST 5, 2021)
Player National Team Caps Last Appearance
Liam Fraser Canada 8 7/25/21 vs. Costa Rica (Concacaf Gold Cup)
Luis Diaz Costa Rica 7 7/25/21 vs. Canada (Concacaf Gold Cup)
Waylon Francis Costa Rica 7 3/22/19 vs. Guatemala (friendly)
Eloy Room Curacao 40 6/15/21 vs. Panama (FIFA World Cup qualifier)
Harrison Afful Ghana 77 9/08/18 vs. Kenya (AFCoN qua.)
Jonathan Mensah Ghana 60 6/29/19 vs. Cameroon (AFCoN)
Derrick Etienne Jr. Haiti 31 7/18/21 vs. Martinique (Concacaf Gold Cup)
Kevin Molino Trinidad & Tobago 53 7/18/21 vs. Guatemala (Concacaf Gold Cup)
Perry Kitchen United States 5 10/11/16 vs. New Zealand (friendly)
Darlington Nagbe United States 25 3/28/18 vs. Paraguay (friendly)
Gyasi Zardes United States 62 8/1/21 vs. Mexico (Concacaf Gold Cup)
AIR MENSAH: THE DEFENSIVE WALL
Defender Jonathan Mensah leads MLS in headed clearances
this season, having made 52 in regular-season action this
year. In addition to leading the League in headed clearances,
Mensah has made 83 total clearances, tying with Andrew
Farrell (New England Revolution) for fifth-most clearances
in regular-season action in 2021. Mensah has also recorded
a League high 21 blocks this season. For a list of the players
with the most headed clearances and most blocks in MLS
regular-season action this year, please see the tables below.
2021 MLS REGULAR-SEASON LEADERS: HEADED
CLEARANCES
PLAYER HC
- Jonathan Mensah (CLB) 52
T-2. Yeimar Gomez (SEA) 47
T-2. Jack Elliot (PHI) 47 - Nkosi Burgess (DAL) 45
- Bill Tuiloma (POR) 42
2021 MLS REGULAR-SEASON LEADERS: BLOCKS
PLAYER BLOCKS - Jonathan Mensah (CLB) 21
- Justen Glad (RSL) 18
- Rudy Camacho (MTL) 16
T-4. Matt Besler (AUS) 15
T-4. Andrew Farrell (NE) 15
T-4. Julio Cascante (AUS) 15
ZELARAYAN AMONG MLS LEADERS IN COMPLETED DRIBBLES
Through 18 appearances in the 2021 MLS regular season,
midfielder Lucas Zelarayan has completed 47 dribbles. Zelar-
ayan’s 47 dribbles are tied with Toronto FC’s Yeferson Soteldo
for fourth-most in the League this year. For a list of the players
with the most completed dribbles in MLS regular-season play
this year, please see the table below.
2021 MLS REGULAR-SEASON LEADERS: MOST COMPLETED
DRIBBLES
PLAYER COMPLETED DRIBBLES
- Emanuel Reynoso (MIN) 63
T-2. Marcelino Moreno (ATL) 55
T-2. Carles Gil (NE) 55
T-4. Yeferson Soteldo (TFC) 47
T-4. Lucas Zelarayan (CLB) 47
ZELARAYAN NAMED TO MLS ALL-STAR ROSTER, ALSO NAMED
TO MLS ALL-STAR SKILLS CHALLENGE PRESENTED BY AT&T
On August 4, Columbus Crew and Major League Soccer an- nounced that midfielder Lucas Zelarayan had been selected for the 2021 MLS All-Star Game presented by Target. The
match is set to take place against the Liga MX All-Stars at Banc
of California Stadium in Los Angeles, California on August 25
[9 p.m. ET / FS1 / Univision]. Zelarayan is the 24th player in
Club history to be named an MLS All-Star and is the first for
the Crew since goalkeeper Zack Steffen was named to the
team during the 2018 season. Additionally, Zelarayan was one
of eight players selected to represent MLS in the All-Star Skills
Challenge Presented by AT&T.
COLUMBUS CREW LEADS LEAGUE IN GOALS SCORED
OUTSIDE OF THE 18-YARD BOX
The Black & Gold currently lead Major League Soccer in goals
scored outside of the 18-yard box during the regular-season,
having scored six goals from that area. Additionally, midfield-
er Lucas Zelarayan leads the League with five goals scored
from the range. For a list of team and player goals scored
outside of the 18-yard box, please see the tables in the next
column.
2021 GOALS SCORED FROM OUTSIDE OF THE BOX*
TEAM GOALS
- Columbus Crew 6
T-2. Five teams tied 5
2021 PLAYER GOALS SCORED FROM OUTSIDE OF THE BOX*
PLAYER GOALS (OUTSIDE BOX) - Lucas Zelarayan (CLB) 5
- Nani (ORL) 4
- Gustavo Bou (NE) 3
T-4. 10 players tied 2
*2021 MLS regular season (as of 8/16/2021)
NAGBE AND HAIRSTON: PASS MASTERS
Through 19 matches in the 2021 MLS regular season, mid-
fielders Darlington Nagbe and Marlon Hairston are among
the League leaders in passing accuracy among players who
have attempted 100 or more passes. Nagbe has made 18
starts while completing 882 of his 915 attempted passes for
a passing accuracy percentage of 96.39%, while Hairston has
made 10 appearances and completed 351 of his 373 attempt-
ed passes for a passing accuracy percentage of 94.1%. For a
list of five MLS players with the highest passing accuracy this
season, please see the table below.
2021 PLAYERS WITH HIGHEST PASSING ACCURACY*
PLAYER ATT. COMP. %
- Darlington Nagbe (CLB) 915 882 96.39
- Marlon Hairston (CLB) 373 351 94.10
- Daniel Pereira (AUS) 377 351 93.10
- Kamohelo Mokotjo (CIN) 142 132 92.96
- Anibal Godoy (NSH) 640 594 92.81
*2021 MLS regular season (100 or more passes only, as of 8/16/2021)
BLACK & GOLD QUOTES
ON THE CREW’S DEFENSIVE PERFORMANCE AGAINST CHICAGO
FIRE FC
“I think despite the result, as a defense, we’re performing better.
We’re more concentrated and more focused, and there are a lot
of positive things you can take away from this match.”
- WAYLON FRANCIS
ON THE CREW’S BUDDING CONFIDENCE ENTERING WEDNESDAY
“We’re building from a position of strength now, of stability,
of confidence, and we have a fresh group that’s going to turn
around and go into this next game. I know they’re going to be
eager to get a result.” - CALEB PORTER
MILESTONES ON THE HORIZON
CALEB PORTER
• Has won 96 MLS regular-season matches as a head coach and is four wins
away from reaching 100 all-time.
HARRISON AFFUL
• Has made 148 regular-season starts for the Crew and needs three more to
reach 150.
ERIK HURTADO
• Has made 146 MLS regular-season appearances and needs four more to
reach 150.
KEVIN MOLINO
• Has made 97 MLS regular-season starts and needs three more to reach 100.
JOSH WILLIAMS
• Has made 149 regular-season appearances for the Crew and needs one
more to reach 150.
GYASI ZARDES
• Has made 95 regular-season appearances for the Crew and needs five more
to reach 100.
• Has scored 48 regular-season goals for the Crew and needs two more to
reach 50.
COURTESY COLUMBUS CREW COMMUNICATIONS
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