Columbus Crew versus Real’s Potential Secret Weapon: HFA!

By: Rocky Cole | April 1st, 2009

The Columbus Crew, defending MLS champions come into Real Salt Lake’s Rio Tinto stadium this Thursday night for RSL’s home opener. RSL began their 2009 campaign with a bye and then a disappointing loss in Seattle, but home has always been where RSL has played their best soccer. And if the Seattle Sounders offered one lesson to the rest of the league it is this: home crowds can make a difference. Maybe it’s the energy of the crowd, or just the added motivation of, “Not in MY House!” But “Home-Field Advantage” does seem to make a difference and we will see if the magic that RSL felt at Rice Eccles transferred to Rio Tinto. It should have, right? After all, it’s like a 15 minute drive over, and I’m sure Garth Lagerway and Jason Kries allowed “Home-Field Advantage” to ride shotgun in the van to Rio Tinto. I know what some of you are asking: “If Home-Field Advantage made the move to Rio Tinto, then what happened in that Red Bulls playoff game last October?” Well, one of my spies at the RSL home office told me that HFA would have helped RSL against the Red Bulls but had been sidelined with a nasty groin injury in warm ups before the match. Oh well, those are the breaks, I suppose. But the good news is that HFA is back on the active roster for RSL and itching to take the pitch against the Crew on Thursday night.

The Columbus Crew knows RSL is a tough team to play, especially at home, and Columbus is not entirely satisfied with opening their season with two tie matches, earning them a meager two points. Granted, their first two opponents, Houston and Toronto are no push-overs, but I have a feeling that Columbus was expecting to be sitting with six points at the top of the Eastern table right now instead of in 5th place in the Eastern Conference with two points. That said, RSL probably would rather have three points than the zero they now have. The weather prediction for Thursday night in Utah is calling for temps to be in the mid 40s with a chance of light rain or light snow around kickoff. Sure it will be chilly and it is a Thursday night, but it’s also the first home game of RSL’s first full season in Rio Tinto Stadium. My son’s got a game that afternoon with his 9th grade soccer team up the canyon in Park City, but I know when Real and the Crew kick off at 7:00 PM he’ll be sitting in the stands thrilled to be there, watching his beloved RSL take the field. And if he looks over the players on the field and asks, his voice tinged with concern, “Dad, where’s Home-Field Advantage?”

I’d like to imagine looking around a packed stadium roaring with enthusiasm, and have to yell my reply because of the noise, “All around you son… all around you!”