MLS champs provide extra motivation for Crew SC

Andrew Erickson The Columbus Dispatch @AEricksonCD

Toronto FC won the MLS Cup on Dec. 9, has been the league champion through the offseason and will remain so Saturday when it plays Crew SC at BMO Field in the season opener for both teams.

In that sense, coach Gregg Berhalter said, Saturday’s game will serve as an effective measuring stick for the Crew.

“I think until someone else proves otherwise, they’re the team to beat. When you look at their roster, they lost a couple players, but I still think they (strengthened) and they still have three of the top players in the league in Bradley, Giovinco and Altidore,” Berhalter said. “They’re still a top team and we’re gonna get a very good idea of where we stand Saturday at 3 p.m. After the game we’ll be able to see exactly where we’re at.”

BMO Field also happens to be where the Crew’s season ended in the second leg of the Eastern Conference finals via a second-half Jozy Altidore goal.

“That’s certainly a spin you can put on it, but I don’t think you need much spin for this game,” Berhalter said. “It’s against a very good opponent, it’s away from home and it’s a very good measuring stick for where we’re actually at.”

Still, there is an emotional element that comes with a return to Toronto, one players have considered. It’s where Crew center back Lalas Abubakar, a likely starter at center back alongside Jonathan Mensah, made his first career playoff start.

“If I look at last year, we’re going back to the same locker room where at the end of the season we were all disappointed,” Abubakar said. “I think this is kind of like a motivation for everybody, going back to the same locker room. I think it’s going to motivate us to step in and play hard in Toronto. I think everyone is excited. We’re excited to go back there.”

In five games against Toronto FC last season, including two playoff games, the Crew went 1-3-1 and used three formations: its traditional 4-2-3-1 as well as a 3-4-2-1 and a 4-1-4-1.

The Crew likely won’t use the 4-1-4-1 again. It resulted in a 5-0 loss at BMO Field on May 26.

“That’s what soccer’s about, seeing how formations can affect each other, seeing how the personnel on the field can interact with the opposing personnel to make for a good game,” Berhalter said. “We’ve learned a lot over the course of the time playing with (Toronto). We know they’re tactically flexible and they play a number of different formations even within game, so I think that gives us a good challenge.”

It also gives Crew SC something it hasn’t had in a little more than three months: a game that counts.

“We know they’ve gotten better and we’ve gotten better,” captain Wil Trapp said. “You always want to start the season being tested and we’re obviously being tested against a quality opponent.”

aerickson@dispatch.com

@AEricksonCD