Crew’s road gains add weight to home games

The unfinished feeling of a game like Saturday night's 1-1 draw at San Jose overshadows the underlying feel that is starting to appear for the Crew:

This is not the same team that stumbled through a 1-13-1 stretch.

The Crew has earned eight points during a four-game unbeaten streak. Three of those games were on the road, and two were against a pair of the best teams in the league in the New York Red Bulls and the Earthquakes.

The Crew, 7-14-4 and in 11th place in the 12-team Eastern Conference with 25 points, has plenty of ground to cover but has earned points in back-toback games when it wasn’t supposed to. The club is in better position than perhaps expected entering back-toback home games against FC Cincinnati and Toronto FC, marking a test to determine if this comeback effort for a playoff bid might be legitimate.

“We've been doing it on the road, so now this is set up going back at home,” coach Caleb Porter said. “We have a big rivalry game. We keep Coach Caleb Porter said “everything’s changed” regarding the Crew as of late. “I think this team is starting to believe,” he said.

moving and putting pressure on the teams ahead of us. There's a lot of games to play still.”

What looks most different about the Crew is that players are scoring and can be counted on to produce consistently. In the past three games, on the six goals the Crew has allowed, each time the club has scored

the next goal, and often in quick succession.

It also can’t be understated how much of an impact the recent player additions have had in all areas, not just the scoresheet. On Saturday, Luis Diaz made his first start since being signed as a young designated player last month and delivered an electrifying

run that led to an assist on the tying goal.

Goalkeeper Eloy Room made crucial saves and striker Romario Williams has made an impact off the bench, which has allowed the Crew to be more unpredictable by switching to a different formation.

All of which makes a recipe for a playoff-caliber team. Now the Crew has to show it in the next two weeks.

“Everything's changed,” Porter said. “Mentality's changed, we're playing as a team, we're scoring goals, and I think this team is starting to believe.”

Sitting eight points back of the final playoff spot with nine games left on its schedule, the Crew has every reason to be scoreboard watching at this point.

With a win by Chicago on Saturday, the Crew gained a point on the seventh and final playoff spot. Montreal and New England each have 33 points, and Toronto is one point behind in eighth place.

Among the Crew's next four games are two against lastplace Cincinnati and a home game against Toronto.

So what needs to happen in those two home games? Wil Trapp, the Crew captain, was blunt.

“Six points,” he said.

We just have to focus on Cincinnati. It’s a rivalry game … ultimately it’s about just winning the game at home and climbing up the standings in the table.”