The 2015 Columbus Crew SC season was the club's 20th season of existence and their 20th consecutive season in Major League Soccer, the top flight of soccer in the United States and Canada. The first match of the season was on March 7 against Houston Dynamo. It was the second season under head coach Gregg Berhalter. The Crew's USL Pro affiliate this season was Austin Aztex.
Background
Review In coach Berhalter's second season, he led the club to an MLS Cup appearance that resulted in a loss to the Portland Timbers. This season also saw returning striker Kei Kamara contend for the league's golden boot.
Roster
Out on loan
(on loan to Austin Aztex) (on loan to Austin Aztex)
Technical Staff
Non-competitive Preseason The Crew started preseason in Columbus and played games in Texas and Florida before returning to Ohio.
Unsigned draft picks Sergio Campbell, Sagi Lev-Ari, Tomas Gomez and Kalen Ryden joined the team for preseason.
Midseason
Competitive Overview
MLS
Standings
Eastern Conference
Overall table
Results summary
Results by round
Match results
MLS Cup Playoffs
Conference Semifinals
Conference Finals
MLS Cup
U.S. Open Cup
Statistics Appearances and goals Under "Apps" for each section, the first number represents the number of starts, and the second number represents appearances as a substitute.
|colspan=12 align=center|Players who left Columbus during the season:
Disciplinary record No. Pos. Name MLS MLS Cup Playoffs U.S. Open Cup Total 1 GK Steve Clark20000020 2 DF Tyson Wahl10100020 3 DF Chris Klute30000030 4 DF Michael Parkhurst21000021 5 DF Emanuel Pogatetz30001040 6 MF Tony Tchani50001060 7 MF Kristinn Steindórsson10000010 8 MF Mohammed Saeid41000041 9 FW Justin Meram30000030 10 FW Federico Higuaín51000051 11 MF Cedrick Mabwati00000000 12 MF Kevan George30001040 13 MF Ethan Finlay00000000 14 DF Waylon Francis50000050 16 MF Hector Jiménez30000030 17 FW Ben Speas00000000 18 FW Aaron Schoenfeld10001020 19 MF Romain Gall00000000 20 MF Wil Trapp00000000 21 DF Chad Barson20000020 22 DF Gastón Sauro20300050 23 FW Kei Kamara60000060 24 DF Sergio Campbell00000000 25 DF Harrison Afful00200020 26 MF Ben Swanson00000000 28 GK Matt Lampson00000000 30 FW Jack McInerney20000020 41 GK Brad Stuver00000000Players who left Columbus during the season: 22 DF Kalen Ryden00000000 25 FW Sagi Lev-Ari00000000 27 DF Hernán Grana10000010 29 FW Adam Bedell00000000
Clean sheets No. Name MLS MLS Cup Playoffs U.S. Open Cup Total Games Played 1 Steve Clark610739 28 Matt Lampson00000 41 Brad Stuver00002
Transfers
In
PositionPlayerTransferred fromFee/notesDateSource DF Chris Klute Colorado Rapids Traded for a first round draft pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft January 16, 2015 DF Hernan Grana All Boys Signed via discovery January 23, 2015 MF Cedrick Mabwati Real Betis Transfer, terms undisclosed January 30, 2015 DF Sergio Campbell Connecticut Huskies Drafted in round 1 of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft March 2, 2015 FW Sagi Lev-Ari Cal State Northridge Matadors Drafted in round 2 of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft March 2, 2015 DF Kalen Ryden Midwestern State Mustangs Drafted in round 4 of the 2015 MLS SuperDraft March 2, 2015 DF Harrison Afful ES Tunis Signed via discovery July 30, 2015 FW Jack McInerney Montreal Impact Traded for a second round draft pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft August 4, 2015 DF Gastón Sauro FC Basel Signed via discovery August 6, 2015 DF Corey Ashe Orlando City SC Signed as a free agent. December 18, 2015
Out
Pos.PlayerTransferred toFee/notesDateSource DF Ben Sweat Tampa Bay Rowdies Placed on waivers February 9, 2015 FW Sagi Lev-Ari Retired Placed on waivers March 16, 2015 DF Hernán Grana All Boys Mutually agreed to terminate contract May 12, 2015 DF Kalen Ryden Oklahoma City Energy FC Placed on waivers August 6, 2015 FW Adam Bedell Orlando City SC Traded for a second round draft pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft August 6, 2015 DF Emanuel Pogatetz 1. FC Union Berlin Option declined December 7, 2015 MF Kristinn Steindórsson GIF Sundsvall Option declined December 7, 2015 MF Ben Speas Minnesota United Contract expired December 7, 2015 GK Matt Lampson Chicago Fire Contract expired December 7, 2015 MF Kevan George Jacksonville Armada Contract expired December 7, 2015 FW Jack McInerney Portland Timbers Contract expired; rights traded for targeted allocation money and general allocation money December 7, 2015 FW Aaron Schoenfeld Maccabi Netanya F.C. Contract expired December 7, 2015 DF Chris Klute Portland Timbers Traded for general allocation money December 11, 2015
Loans out Pos.PlayerLoanee clubLength/NotesBeginningEndSource MF Cedrick Mabwati CA Osasuna Signed, then loaned through the remainder of the season January 30, 2015 July 6, 2015 DF Kalen Ryden Austin Aztex Columbus retains right to recall at any time March 26, 2015 August 6, 2015 FW Adam Bedell Austin Aztex Columbus retains right to recall at any time May 1, 2015 End of Season MF Romain Gall Austin Aztex Columbus retains right to recall at any time July 9, 2015 End of Season MF Sergio Campbell Austin Aztex Columbus retains right to recall at any time September 8, 2015 End of Season
MLS Draft picks
Draft picks are not automatically signed to the team roster. Only those who are signed to a contract will be listed as transfers in. The picks for the Columbus Crew are listed below: Round Pick Player Position College 119 Sergio CampbellDFConnecticut235 Sagi Lev-AriFWCal State Northridge355 Robert KristoFWSaint Louis360 Tomas GomezGKGeorgetown469 Kalen RydenDFMidwestern State Mustangs
Awards +MLS Team of the WeekWeekStartersBenchOpponent(s)Link 2 Hernán Grana Justin Meram Toronto FC 7 Federico Higuaín Kei Kamara Orlando City SC 8 Waylon Francis Ethan Finlay Kei Kamara Gregg Berhalter (Coach) Philadelphia Union 10 Emanuel Pogatetz Federico Higuaín Kei Kamara Hector Jiménez Seattle Sounders FChttps://www.mlssoccer.com/news/team-week-wk-12-sporting-kansas-city-show-their-worth-two-big-games-week-12g 12 Kei Kamara Chicago Fire 13 Kei Kamara Orlando City SC 15 Tony Tchani 17 Ethan Finlay Kei Kamara New England Revolution Real Salt Lake 18 Ethan Finlay Kei Kamara Tony Tchani New York Red Bulls 20 Waylon Francis Ethan Finlay Kei Kamara Gregg Berhalter (Coach) Chicago Fire 21 Ethan Finlay Toronto FC 23 Kei Kamara Michael Parkhurst Colorado Rapids 25 Wil Trapp Kei Kamara New York City FC Sporting Kansas City 26 Federico Higuaín New York City FC 28 Harrison Afful Kei Kamara Philadelphia Union 29 Tony Tchani Kei Kamara D.C. United 34 Harrison Afful Ethan Finlay Jack McInerney D.C. United
MLS Player of the Week WeekPlayerOpponentLink 8 Ethan Finlay Philadelphia Union 12 Kei Kamara Chicago Fire 23 Kei Kamara Colorado Rapids 28 Kei Kamara Philadelphia Union
MLS Save of the Week WeekPlayerOpponentLink 11 Steve Clark San Jose Earthquakes
2015 MLS All-Star Game Reserves DF Waylon Francis MF Ethan Finlay FW Kei Kamara
2015 MLS Homegrown Game GK Matt Lampson MF Ben Swanson
Postseason MLS Humanitarian of the Year Award FW Kei Kamara Operations Staff of the Year Athletic Training Staff of the Year
Crew SC Team Awards Most Valuable Player – Kei Kamara Golden Boot – Kei Kamara Defender of the Year – Waylon Francis Kirk Urso Heart Award – Michael Parkhurst Humanitarian of the Year – Kei Kamara Academy Player of the Year – Edward Folds III
Kits
Type Shirt Shorts Socks First appearance / Info Home Yellow Yellow Yellow Week 1 against Houston Dynamo Away Black Black Black Week 2 against Toronto FC
References