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Columbus Crew again facing goal differential challenge in Leagues Cup
Winning their final group-stage match to start the Leagues Cup undefeated is the Crew’s priority on Aug. 11 against Pumas UNAM, but that might not be enough to avoid elimination.
More: Columbus Crew exact revenge on CF Pachuca in Leagues Cup. Replay
Going into the game at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, the Crew are one of seven undefeated MLS teams in a tournament that sends only four from each league (MLS and Liga MX) into the knockout stage.
Goal differential is used as the first tiebreaker, and the Crew ranks fifth at +3 after two games. FC Dallas is sixth, also +3, trailing Austin (+5), Charlotte (+5), Chicago (+4) and Cincinnati (+4). After being eliminated from last year's Leagues Cup via goal differential, the Crew get one more chance to bolster their odds by filling the net and playing strong defensively against Pumas, which has already been eliminated.
"We need to do the basics first, in order to position ourselves the way we want to be positioned, and only then we’ll have options to deal with those [elimination] scenarios," Crew interim coach Laurent Courtois said. "But you have to win the game first. It’s a really tough opponent.”
Despite dropping its first two games, Pumas UNAM is a talented team that finished runner-up to Cruz Azul last season in Liga MX’s season-ending tournament. They’ll play carefree while trying to avoid going winless.
“That’s the most dangerous scenario, especially with players that want to redeem themselves, or if there’s a rotation [in the lineup], players that want to show they deserve a spot,” Courtois said. “It’s the worst scenario, kind of, but at least we know.”
The Crew also has 10 teams behind them who’ve yet to be eliminated in the 18-team MLS field , adding to the uncertainty and intrigue of group play. Columbus, Cincinnati and Charlotte play Aug. 11. Dallas plays one of seven games Aug. 12, while Austin and Chicago host two of five games on Aug. 13 to finish the group stage.
Austin faces Club América in a matchup of each league’s top-ranked teams, while Chicago plays Cruz Azul in a matchup of third-place teams. Charlotte hosts winless CF Pachuca, and Cincinnati plays winless Atlas FC in matchups similar to the Crew’s final hurdle.
“It’s difficult because you win two games, back-to-back, and there’s still a chance that you don’t necessarily go through,” Crew defender Cesar Ruvalcaba said. “We know what we have to do. It’s quite simple. We have to get a result, and I think everyone’s just focused and ready to step on the pitch and take care of that opportunity we have presented in front of us.”
Dispatch Blue Jackets/Crew reporter Brian Hedger can be reached at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Columbus Crew again facing goal differential challenge in Leagues Cup
Columbus CrewLeagues CupThe Columbus CrewPumas UNAMWinningCrew’sAugMoreCF PachucaGoingScottsMiracleGro Field
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