The Columbus Crew (13-6-10, 49 points) are back in the driver’s seat.
For a brief span, measured in hours, the Crew no longer controlled their own destiny in their quest for the regular season crown. After a 1-0 loss to the D.C. United in the nation’s capital last week, the Crew found themselves in the unfamiliar position of needing help to secure the coveted Supporter’s Shield, the award given annually to the team with the most points at the end of the MLS regular season.
They got the help they were looking for in the form of an Earthquake; The San Jose Earthquakes.
San Jose, with a draw against Chivas USA (13-9-6, 45 points) later the same evening, handed the baton back to Columbus.
The Crew have an opportunity to lock up the Supporter’s Shield with a victory against the New England Revolution Sunday at Crew Stadium.
Chivas is by no means out of contention. If victorious in matches over the Chicago Fire this Thursday and the Houston Dynamo on Sunday, Chivas would net 51 points.
A Crew victory Sunday would leave them the regular season champions with 52 points.
In a world in which the regular season is often overshadowed by the playoffs, the significance of the Supporter’s Shield is not familiar to the casual fan. But diehard soccer fans know that most soccer league champions are decided during the grind of the regular season, not by the team that happens to catch lightning in a bottle during a brief playoff run.
The Crew aspire to be both.
“It is very important for us to win the Supporter’s Shield because it means you are the best for 30 games,” Crew defender Gino Padula said. “We want to win everything we play.”
They’ve already locked up one of their season goals. With a 1-1 draw against the Puerto Rico Islanders this week, Columbus became the first MLS team to reach the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF Champions League.
With the CONCACAF portion of the soccer season over for now, the Crew can concentrate on their remaining goals: A second straight Supporter’s Shield and to be the repeat MLS Cup champions.
The Crew do not want to rely on Fire or Earthquakes, and are instead focused on seizing the Supporter’s Shield without help from anyone or anything.
