Columbus Crew look back at 2023 season opener before second Philadelphia Union match

colin gay, columbus dispatch

Fri, Sep 29, 2023, 12:07 PM·3 min read

Patrick Schulte remembers being extremely nervous the last time he faced the Philadelphia Union.

Ahead of the Crew’s 2023 season opener, the goalkeeper wanted to perform in his MLS debut, coming off a season in which he allowed 20 goals in 18 starts for Crew 2. The immediate transition to MLS proved to be difficult, allowing four goals on five shots on goal in the Crew’s 4-1 loss to Philadelphia Feb. 25.

But Schulte remembers seeing a glimpse of what the Crew could be.

“There’s a lot of positives, looking back on that game, of our identity and the first time we played under Wilfried, the glimpses that showed during the game,” said Schulte, now 39 games and 27 starts into his MLS career. “Now we basically have a full season under it and I think we have improved since then.”

Wilfried Nancy also saw those glimpses.

The Crew coach watched his team’s 4-1 loss in Philadelphia again with new eyes. Now he leads the top scoring offense in MLS and a team that has already secured a MLS Cup playoff spot.

“It was funny because, yes, we lost 4-1,” Nancy said. “But we didn’t deserve to lose like this because we did a very good game in the first half. After that we were a bit naive.

“Now, we are more mature.”

Sep 20, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Columbus Crew goalkeeper Patrick Schulte (28) makes a save during the second half of the MLS soccer game against the Chicago Fire at Lower.com Field. The Crew won 3-0.

Since their season-opening win against the Crew, the Union have not slowed down.

Philadelphia comes to Columbus as the No. 3 team in the Eastern Conference standings and is one point behind Orlando City FC for the second position. The Union have drawn four straight against FC Cincinnati, Charlotte FC, Los Angeles Football Club and FC Dallas, last beating the New York Red Bulls 4-1 Sept. 3.

Malte Amundsen views Saturday’s match as the perfect opportunity for the Crew to prepare for what’s coming, pitting the third- and fourth-ranked Eastern Conference teams against each other at Lower.com Field: a venue in which the Crew have lost only one game in 2023.

“We have to build an atmosphere and a feeling of ‘This is a playoff game,’ ” Amundsen said. “We have to play and train like it’s a playoff game. We said that when we were playing in Dallas, and this is a perfect opportunity, again, to prepare and train for a playoff game. Philly is a good team that’s been in the playoffs the last couple years, as I know. So this is perfect training for how it’s going to be in the playoffs for us.”

Sep 20, 2023; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Columbus Crew defender Malte Amundsen (18) kicks the ball past Chicago Fire midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri (10) during the first half of the MLS soccer game at Lower.com Field.

Nancy said this mindset came straight from the players, admitting that his role as the Crew’s coach is not to motivate, but to give clarity, to challenge and to encourage.

But he realizes the pressure Philadelphia brings to Columbus Saturday, something that Nancy does not view as a bad thing.

“Pressure is a privilege,” Nancy said. “Not everyone can play and can have pressure. Like I told them, ‘Embrace it. Enjoy it.’ ”

Heading into Saturday, Schulte said his head is down. His focus is on pushing through the regular season and building confidence ahead of what he hopes to be a deep postseason run.

But playing Philadelphia for the second time Schulte also said he’s allowing himself to recognize the growth from where he was in February to where he is now.

“Within myself, I have grown a lot,” Schulte said. “There’s a lot of learning moments throughout the season. There’s a lot of moments I want back, but as I progress, I find those moments and those situations very vital to continuing to grow.”