Crew 2 adds two new attacking pieces

Crew 2, the Columbus Crew reserve team, is set to kick off the first season of MLS NEXT Pro later this month. But before the team takes the field together for the first time, there are still some additions to be made to the roster.

On Wednesday, the Black & Gold announced the signing of two forwards, Nana Tuffour and Jordan Knight, to MLS NEXT Pro professional contracts. These deals are pending league and federation approval and, as is always the case with MLS deals, contract terms were not disclosed.

Tuffour comes to Crew 2 from Avon Old Farms School, an all-boys school located in Avon, Connecticut. The 19 year old is a product of Ghana’s Sporting Club Accra Academy, which helps to unearth soccer talents in the country and allow them to achieve their full potential.

Last season, Tuffour spent time with the South Bend Lions of USL League Two, the semi-professional league that is considered the fourth tier of competition in the United States. In his time in South Bend, Tuffour registered 562 minutes in 11 games, scoring six goals on 19 shots and managing one assist.

Photo courtesy of Columbus Crew

Knight, a native of Brampton, Canada, comes to Columbus from Athlete Institute Football Club Academy, which is located in Mono, Ontario. The 19 year old spent time last fall in the Crew’s Acadmey following a successful season with the Athlete Institute Football Club Academy’s Under-21 team during the 2020 season.

During his time with the Black & Gold Academy, Knight was called up to train with the Crew’s first team on multiple occasions.

This announcement adds to the growing roster of Crew 2 talent. After the reserve team announced its first-ever signing of midfielder Aidan Wolf, on Feb. 10, Crew 2 made four more signings eight days later, adding midfielders Isaac Angking, Jay Tee Kamara and Michael Vang and forward Noah Fuson. Last week, Crew 2 added three more players to the roster in midfielder Marco Micaletto and defenders Abdi Mohammed and Justin Malou, a former first-round MLS SuperDraft pick by Columbus.

MLS NEXT Pro announced its full schedule last week as well. The Black & Gold reserve team will open the first-ever MLS NEXT Pro season with three straight games on the road beginning with the March 26 game at Inter Miami II, followed by trips to Chicago Fire II and Philadelphia Union II. Crew 2 will play its first-ever home match at historic Crew Stadium on April 15, hosting Orlando City B. The season will stretch into mid-September before the top teams enter the playoff.

All MLS NEXT Pro matches will be available via live stream on mlsnextpro.com. Ticketing information for Crew 2’s 2022 season will be announced at a later date.