Philadelphia Union vs. Columbus Crew | MLS Match Preview

PHILADELPHIA UNION vs COLUMBUS CREW SC
TALEN ENERGY STADIUM, Chester, Pa.
June 1, 2016 (WEEK 14, MLS Game #134)
7 p.m. ET (TCN-Phi; TWC-OH / CW Clb, MLS LIVE)

Teams at opposite ends of the Eastern Conference table after the opening two months meet for a second time this season when Philadelphia Union take on Columbus Crew SC on Wednesday evening at Talen Energy Stadium. Union are sitting atop the conference, maintaining their hold on the East leadership following a 1-1 draw in their top-of-the-table clash at the Colorado Rapids last weekend. Crew SC followed three consecutive draws with a victory last weekend, hanging on for a 4-3 home win against Real Salt Lake.

REFEREE: Robert Sibiga. AR1 (bench): Adam Wienckowski; AR2 (opposite): Kevin Klinger; 4th: Alan Kelly
MLS Career: 8 games; FC/gm: 24.5; Y/gm: 3.0; R: 2; pens: 2

SUSPENDED: none
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: none
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: CLB: Wil Trapp
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: CLB: Cedrick Mabwati (DR Congo; vs. Madagascar 6/5); Harrison Afful (Ghana; vs. Mauritius 6/5); Emil Larsen (Denmark U23); Rodrigo Saravia (Guatemala; vs. Venezuela 6/1) … PHI: Andre Blake (Jamaica; Copa America)

HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (16 meetings): Union 5 wins, 23 goals … Crew SC 10 wins, 27 goals … Ties 1
AT UNION (8 meetings): Union 4 wins, 13 goals … Crew SC 4 wins, 9 goals … Ties 0
FUTURE MATCH: 8/24: Columbus Crew SC vs. Philadelphia Union, 7:30 p.m. ET

• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Chris Pontius scored a pair of goals, the game-winner coming late in the second half, as Union took a 2-1 win March 12 in Columbus.
• The first meeting victory was the first ever for Union in Columbus. Crew SC have never lost to Union in Columbus. Crew SC had won six of seven meetings there prior, with one draw, including the previous three matches in the Ohio state capital.
• Crew SC took a 3-1 in the final meeting between the teams last year, Sept. 12 in Chester, their third road victory in the last four years in the series.
• Coaches record: Jim Curtin vs. CLB: P6 W2 L4 D0 … Gregg Berhalter vs. PHI: P7 W5 L2 D0

LAST MEETING (MLS)
3/12: CLB 1, PHI 2 (K. Kamara 87 – Pontius 46+, 71)

• Union opened the scoring in first half stoppage time when Chris Pontius slotted home a long throw-in that was nicked before reaching him at the top of the box.
• Pontius then doubled the Philadelphia lead in the 71st minute with a left-footed strike that settled inside Steve Clark's left-hand post.
• Kei Kamara pulled Columbus within a goal when his 87th-minute header from a corner kick found the back of the net, but the hosts were unable to beat the stellar Andre Blake between the posts again.
• COLUMBUS CREW SC (4-2-3-1): Steve Clark - Harrison Afful, Michael Parkhurst, Gaston Sauro, Waylon Francis (Mohammed Saeid 74) - Wil Trapp, Tony Tchani - Ethan Finlay (Justin Meram 74), Federico Higuain, Hector Jimenez (Cedrick Mabwati 59) - Kei Kamara.
• PHILADELPHIA UNION (4-2-3-1): Andre Blake - Keegan Rosenberry, Ken Tribbett, Richard Marquez, Fabinho - Brian Carroll, Warren Creavalle - Leo Fernandes (Sebastien Le Toux 61), Ilsinho (Roland Alberg 75), Chris Pontius (Fabian Herbers 86) - C.J. Sapong.

Season Goal Leaders

Philadelphia Union		Columbus Crew SC
C.J. Sapong	5	Kei Kamara	5
Chris Pontius	4	Ola Kamara	3
Sebastien Le Toux	2	Federico Higuaín	3
Tranquillo Barnetta	2	Justin Meram	2

Season Stats

Philadelphia UnionColumbus Crew SC
13	Games Played	12
5	Wins	3
3	Losses	4
5	Draws	5
18	Goals	16
14	Goals Conceded	18
117	Shots	134
56	Shots on Target	60
130	Fouls committed	114
171	Fouls suffered	117
11	Offside	38
67	Corners	81

Goals Scored

• Total
• Home
• Away

	0	1	2	3	4+	Total	Avg
PHI	2	5	5	1	0	18	1.4
CLB	4	5	0	1	2	16	1.3

Goals Conceded

• Total
• Home
• Away

	0	1	2	3	4+	Total	Avg
PHI	3	6	4	0	0	14	1.1
CLB	3	3	4	1	1	18	1.5