First, they clawed from beneath. Now, they’re pushing from above.
After weeks of being within striking distance of sixth place, the Lions finally got over the red playoff cutline with last week’s massive wins over New York City and Montreal. But the surge of momentum and positivity was tempered a bit following Sunday’s 4-2 loss at LA.
Those outside the Club saw a team floundering from fatigue following a 3,700-mile road trip. Couple that with the Red Bulls’ late-game collapse to D.C. United and the suddenly surging Lions seemed at risk of falling behind once again.
But instead of frustrate, the playoff race motivates.
“I don’t think it’s stressful,” leading goal-scorer Cyle Larin said about teetering on the brink of the playoff picture. “It makes us work harder. It makes it feel like a playoff game.”
With six games remaining – three home and three away – the postseason energy is tangible around the camp. Adding to the electricity in the air is the fact that three of those six are against teams currently in the playoffs. And two are against D.C., who sits just one point below the line.
All those tough dates increase the importance of Saturday’s match against Columbus. The Lions fell into a two-goal deficit during Bobby Murphy’s final game as interim head coach, so that come-from-behind point on the road was a result they took with a smile. But this is a game against a team that’s since fallen to last place. And it’s at home.
“We need to approach this match the right way and we need to understand how critical it is for us to pick up all three points this weekend at home,” head coach Jason Kreis said.
There are no easy games in MLS. Crew SC has two wins against current playoff teams and they’re the reigning Eastern Conference champions. They boast one of the league’s brightest up-and-comers in Ola Kamara playing in front of Ethan Finlay and Justin Meram
And though it’s cooled off a bit with only one meeting so far this season, these two teams built quite a heated rivalry in 2015.
“I remember they’re a team that’s very open and we’ll get chances as long as we defend well as a team,” Larin said.
“Three points in this game is very important.”
