MLS: Columbus Crew SC In 2017 — Two Picks From MLS SuperDraft And Full Schedule Released

One season after losing the MLS Cup Final by a single goal, the Columbus Crew SC failed to make it to the MLS Cup Playoffs for the third time in five years. Having finished 2016 with the third worst record in the league, Columbus hopes that 2017 will be another year when they bounce back and make it to the MLS Cup Final for the third time. After the first two rounds of the MLS SuperDraft — and the release of the 2017 Columbus Crew SC schedule — there are plenty of reasons to be optimistic.

MLS SuperDraft: No. 5 — Lalas Abubakar (Defender, University of Dayton)

With the fifth overall pick in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft, the Columbus Crew SC selected Lalas Abubakar, a 22-year-old defender from the University of Dayton. Having played three seasons as a Flyer with a home field less than a hundred miles from MAPFRE Stadium, he is now the third player on the Columbus roster that was born in Ghana. Abubakar was named the Atlantic 10 Conference Defender of the Year in 2016 and was a two-time Dayton Defensive Player of the Year in 2015 and 2016.

Analysts seem to think Columbus Crew SC drafted well, including MLS Soccer’s own Will Parchman, who gave them a B+ rating for their two First Round, Top 10 picks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Epog77K5eLg

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MLS SuperDraft: No. 9 — Niko Hansen (Forward, University of New Mexico)

Columbus had another selection just four places after Abubakar, and they went with Niko Hansen, a 22-year-old forward from the University of New Mexico. Although he is the only player on the team born in Denmark, he is the fourth of Nordic descent, joining Ola Kamara (Norway), Nicolai Næss (Norway) and Jukka Raitala (Finland). He scored 28 goals and had 14 assists in 79 appearances at University of New Mexico.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTBWIwKAaG4

Columbus Crew SC will make two more selections in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft when it picks up again on January 17 for the third and fourth rounds. They have the fifth pick in the third round (No. 49 overall) and the fifth pick in the fourth round (No. 71 overall).

Columbus Crew SC Schedule — 2017

After the three games scheduled in February against Atlanta United FC, Charleston Battery, and Seattle Sounders FC as part of the Carolina Challenge Cup, their regular season begins at home on March 4 against Chicago Fire. Their final regular season game is on the road against the New York City FC on October 22. Aside from the Carolina Challenge Cup and their regular season matches, nothing has been added to the 2017 official schedule of the Columbus Crew SC, including preseason matches, friendlies, international matches, or the Open Cup.

The 18 away games for Columbus Crew in 2017 include match-ups against the Houston Dynamo (March 11), D.C. United (March 18), Chicago Fire (April 8), New York Red Bulls (April 22), Montreal Impact (May 13), New England Revolution (May 21), Toronto FC (May 26), Colorado Rapids (June 3), Atlanta United FC (June 17), Minnesota United FC (July 4), Philadelphia Union (July 26), Real Salt Lake (July 29), San Jose Earthquakes (August 5), Orlando City SC (August 19), Vancouver Whitecaps FC (September 16), Orlando City SC (October 15), and New York City FC (October 22).

[Featured Image by MLS Soccer/Columbus Crew SC]