Crew faces balancing act with lineup
A four-goal victory for the Crew at Nicaraguan club Real Esteli FC in the first leg of the round-of-16 matchup in CONCACAF Champions League gave coach Caleb Porter options.
With a spot in the quarterfinals against Liga MX club C.F. Monterrey essentially guaranteed, Porter will focus on rotating players in the second leg against Real Esteli at 8 p.m. Thursday at Crew Stadium. The hope is to have a fresh group for the Major League Soccer season opener Sunday at home against Philadelphia Union.
The number of injuries the Crew has suffered in the preseason and last week in the first leg has complicated the balancing act of getting a result in the second leg while keeping key
players available for Sunday’s match. But the depth the Crew added in the offseason should make the situation more manageable than in prior seasons.
“It’s kind of an atypical week, a little tricky mostly because it’s a Thursday, Sunday, and then Sunday is obviously our home opener so it’s an important game,” Porter said. “We feel like we have a group and depth that can get us through the second leg and set up the Sunday where we’re flying.”
With top two right back options Harrison Afful and Marlon Hairston already missing, winger Derrick Etienne Jr. was thrust into the position and suffered a sprained ankle that could keep him out of both games this week.
With midfielder Artur working on his fitness after offseason hernia surgery that kept him out of most of preseason, Darlington Nagbe injured a hamstring in the first game. Porter classified Nagbe as “doubtful” for Thursday and was unsure about Sunday, but said the MRI went “as good as could be expected.”
Porter’s toughest decision will be at right back. With Etienne still nursing an ankle injury and Hairston doubtful due to a bone bruise on a knee, he’ll have to find someone to come in for Afful, who has missed 10 days due to an undisclosed absence and won’t be ready to
play a full 90 minutes.
Porter said there will be a few players getting only 45 minutes Thursday and some who will have to play in both games.
Playing a winger at right back would be tough given depth issues at the position. Kevin Molino and Etienne are injured, and midfielder Alexandru Matan has not been medically cleared to play since arriving in the U.S. last week. If Porter decides to bring in backup left back Waylon Francis for Afful, left back Milton Valenzuela might have to play 90 minutes, which could make him limited Sunday against Philadelphia.
What has complicated the management of lineups for the two games even more is the lack of prep time between games. With two days of training between the second leg against Real Esteli and the MLS opener, Porter has trained two game plans and two different groups ahead of the first match.
“It’s tricky. 100% it’s tricky,” midfielder Aidan Morris said. “It’s just weighing things, and it’s the fine details this week in terms of preparing a group enough to kind of maintain but dominate the game tomorrow and also preserve some legs for the upcoming game Sunday as well, which is massively important.”
Given the 4-0 cushion and the tiebreaker being away goals, the result of the two legs is likely not in doubt. The Crew still wants a win against a less-talented team.
That four-goal advantage was created entirely in the first half. Getting another quick lead would give Porter even more flexibility in keeping players fresh.
“We never overlook any game,” Porter said. “We know if we score one goal they need five. If we score two they need six, and we’re going to play to score and we’re going to play to win.” jmyers@dispatch.com @_jcmyers