The Dayton Dutch Lions are geared up to face the Columbus Crew Reserves on Wednesday night 7:30 PM at Crew Stadium. The short trip across I-70 could go a long way in pushing the Dutch Lions up the USL PRO standings. A victory over the Crew will send the Dutch Lions to fourth place.
The Dutch Lions (7-3-5) find themselves in the unusual position of looking to rebound from a loss. Prior to Saturday night’s 2-3 defeat by the Richmond Kickers, it had been more than two months since Dayton had failed to earn a point in a league contest. The unbeaten streak spanned 10 matches. The team hopes that the match against the Crew is the beginning of another successful run that not only secures a spot in the playoffs, but earns a good seeding in the post-season tournament.
The Crew Reserves have put together a record of 2-4-1 and sit in fourth place of the MLS Reserves Eastern Division. Their most recent game was a 0-1 loss to the Montreal Impact on June 16. The Black & Gold were unable to capitalize on several early chances, and the Impact scored the game-winner in the 81st minute.
This will be the second meeting between the Dutch Lions and the Crew Reserves this season. The previous match was an up-and-down battle at Beavercreek High School that featured a combined total of eight goals. Dayton took a 3-2 lead into halftime, thanks to goal by Gibson Bardsley and a pair from Joel DeLass. The Crew came out of the locker room after the half and asserted their will, jumping out to 4-3 lead. The Dutch Lions were undaunted and Shane Smith netted the equalizer 89th minute. It was a match that typified the grit and determination that Dayton has displayed all season.
The meetings between the Dutch Lions and the Crew Reserves are part of a partnership between USL PRO and MLS that was struck prior to the beginning of the season. A portion of that agreement has each USL PRO team playing a home-and-away series against an MLS Reserve side. The results of the matches count in the standings for both leagues.
The Dayton Dutch Lions return home on Sunday, July 14 in a double-header that features both the W-League and USL PRO teams. The women, who have already clinched first place in the USL W-League Southeastern Conference, will host VSI Tampa Bay at Beavercreek High School at 4:00 PM. Then the men will battle league-leading Orlando City at 6:30 PM. To purchase tickets, please visit www.ticketfly.com.