Major League Soccer announced Wednesday the selection of Crew defender Chad Marshall as MLS Player of the Month for August. Marshall scored two goals and led a Crew defense that earned three shutouts on its way to a 3-1-0 record in the month, which ended with the Crew atop the Eastern Conference standings with 39 points.
Marshall, who played the full 90 minutes in each of the Crew's four matches in August, continued to display his defensive prowess - and discipline - in the Crew's recent run of success, as he did not earn a single caution and was only whistled for two fouls in that span.
The Crew started the month of August with a 1-0 win at Colorado on Aug. 1 to extend its winning streak to three games, thanks to the match's lone goal by Marshall in the 39th minute. Following a Rapids foul from about 25 yards out, midfielder Robbie Rogers touched the re-start over to Marshall, who tucked his blast inside the right post and just beyond the reach of Colorado goalkeeper Matt Pickens for the eventual game-winner.
The Black & Gold earned its fourth consecutive win a week later on Aug. 8 when it traveled to San Francisco to take on the San Jose Earthquakes. The Crew came away with a 3-0 win over the 'Quakes on the "Night of Champions" at Candlestick Park, thanks to goals by Alejandro Moreno, Robbie Rogers and Adam Moffat, and the aerial dominance of Marshall who helped the lead squad to its second consecutive shutout.
The Crew continued its winning ways on Aug. 15, earning its third straight shutout with a 2-0 home win over FC Dallas, which again saw Marshall prove to be the difference in the match. The Stanford product notched his second goal of the month, and second game-winner, in the match's 10th minute. After Moreno earned a Crew corner kick, Rogers lofted his service from the left corner to the edge of the 6-yard box where Marshall skied over Atiba Harris to head the ball past goalkeeper Dario Sala, giving the Black and Gold its fifth consecutive victory. Marshall's efforts in the match helped earn him MLS Player of the Week honors for Week 22 on Aug. 17.
Unfortunately, the Crew was unable to secure a four-win August, as it fell to New York, 1-0, last Sunday (Aug. 30) snapping its five-game winning streak. Red Bulls midfielder Dane Richards scored the game's only goal, thanks to a successful counterattack off a Crew corner kick in the 63rd minute.
Marshall has also continued to see his star rise on the international level during the month of August, as he was part of the 20-man roster selected by Bob Bradley to travel to Mexico City for the U.S. Men's National Team's match against Mexico on Aug. 12. In addition, Marshall - along with Crew teammate Robbie Rogers - was among 24 players called in by Bradley to prepare for the USA's upcoming matches against El Salvador on Sept. 5 at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah and Trinidad & Tobago on Sept. 9 at Hasely Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, Trinidad.
Marshall is the second Crew player to be named MLS Player of the Month in 2009, joining Argentine attacker Guillermo Barros Schelotto who was named Player of the Month for June.
Marshall and the Crew next take to the field on Sunday, Sept. 13 when they host the Western Conference leading Houston Dynamo at 5 p.m. ET at Crew Stadium.
The Major League Soccer Player of the Month is selected following the last regular season game of each month by a panel of journalists from the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR). The group consists of members of print, television, radio and online media. More information and membership guidelines can be found at http://www.soccerreporters.com/.
2009 MLS Player of the Month Awards
March: Fredy Montero - Seattle Sounders FC
April: Brian McBride - Chicago Fire
May: Conor Casey - Colorado Rapids
June: Guillermo Barros Schelotto - Columbus Crew
July: Landon Donovan - Los Angeles Galaxy
August: Chad Marshall - Columbus Crew
Founded by American sports pioneer Lamar Hunt, the Columbus Crew is Ohio's Major League Soccer club, anchoring a diverse sports and entertainment enterprise. One of the league's Charter Members, it is the reigning MLS Cup Champion and has also won the 2002 U.S. Open Cup championship and MLS Supporters' Shield titles in 2004 and 2008. It is currently in its 14th season overall and 11th season in first-of-its-kind Columbus Crew Stadium.
