From day one of preseason, Crew coach Wilfried Nancy and his players have been anticipating a long season with many games. The schedule starts looking congested barely two weeks in, with Columbus playing three games over eight days. This eight-day span kicks off Wednesday night on the road against Houston Dynamo in CONCACAF Champions Cup play. Receiving a first-round bye for winning the 2023 MLS Cup, Columbus will face a fellow MLS team in the Round of 16.
After playing the first leg in Houston, the two teams will meet again in the series’ second match at Lower.com Field on Tuesday. Between those games, the Crew continue their MLS regular season against the Chicago Fire on Saturday night. With the Champions Cup being one of the three trophies outside MLS that Columbus will be competing for this season, here’s what you need to know as the Crew start their CONCACAF Champions Cup journey.
What time does Columbus Crew play Houston Dynamo?
Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, Texas.
What channel is Columbus Crew vs. Houston Dynamo on?
The match will be on FS2. Streaming is available via the Fox Sports app. The Spanish broadcast will be on ViX.
How can I listen to Columbus Crew vs. Houston Dynamo on the radio?
The radio broadcast of the match will be available on 105.7 FM and the iHeart Radio app. Chris Doran will be on the radio call.
What is CONCACAF Champions Cup?
Champions Cup is an annual competition run by CONCACAF, the regional governing body in soccer for North America, Central America and the Caribbean. In a revised format for this year’s edition, the tournament includes 27 teams from 10 countries. Each round, up until the final, will include two legs (two games) and the winner will be determined by the aggregate score (the combined number of goals scored by the two teams). The final will consist of one match, with the winner qualifying for the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup.
How have Columbus Crew performed in past CONCACAF Champions Cups?
The Crew have appeared in five past iterations of Champions Cup, the most recent being in 2021, when they made it to the quarterfinals. Each time the Crew have played in this competition, they have reached the quarterfinals, but never any further.
How did Houston Dynamo make it to the Round of 16?
In the opening round of the competition, Houston lost to St. Louis City SC 2-1 in the first match, then won 1-0 in the second. Since Houston scored more goals as the visiting team (1-0), it advanced to
