Opponent watch: New faces in new places for Crew
Columbus will have some new faces in the lineup when the Crew comes to town on Sunday night to face off against the Impact for the second time this season, this Sunday at 7:30pm ET at Stade Saputo.
Cost Rican striker, Jairo Arrieta, will be available for selection for the first time since joining the Crew. Arrieta, 28, played with the Crew in Monday's 3-1 Reserve League win at New York. The diminutive forward (5’9”, 150 lbs.) put Columbus on the board with his 34th minute strike.
Despite allowing the least amount of goals against in MLS so far this season, the Crew has struggled to score goals. Arrieta was brought in to help change that, having racked up 45 goals over the last five seasons playing with Deportivo Saprissa in his home country.
Defender/midfielder Chris Birchall (see photo above), 28, was brought in last month as an experienced player with good quality to shore up a pretty young roster in Columbus. He has 39 caps for Trinidad and Tobago via his mother’s citizenship and played three matches in the 2006 World Cup for the Soca Warriors.
The English-born player also appeared in 57 matches for the Galaxy, including 46 starts, before being released after LA won the MLS Cup last November, and has collected two assists in three games played thus far with the Crew.
Defend the North
With all the news buzzing about the Impact’s acquisition of Italian defender Alessandro Nesta this week, Arrieta and Birchall may be looking to close out the weekend with some headlines of their own. Together, let’s Defend the North at Stade Saputo. Show your colours with your scarf as the players make their way onto the pitch, scream their names as the starting lineup is introduced and sing “Allez Montreal” throughout the game.
Individual tickets are still available via admission.com or by calling 514-790-1245. New season ticket packages for all matches at Stade Saputo, as well as mini-season packages, are also available via impactmontreal.com, or by calling 514-328-3668.
