COLUMBUS, Ohio - After a decisive 3-0 win over San Jose last Saturday (August 8) at Candlestick Park to maintain its hold on first place in the Eastern Conference, the Crew returns to the friendly confines of Crew Stadium this Saturday (August 15) when it hosts FC Dallas in an inter-conference match-up. At Saturday's match, fans will receive a CONCACAF Champions League poster, in preparation for the club's opening match in the competition against Puerto Rico on Aug. 18, while supplies last.
Saturday's match, which kicks off at 7 p.m. (ET), will be televised live regionally on ONN-TV with Dwight Burgess and Bill McDermott on the call and Katie Witham providing sideline coverage. The match can also be heard in English on News/Talk 610 WTVN and on-line at TheCrew.com and MLSnet.com, with Neil Sika and John Bluem behind the microphone as well as in Spanish on La Que Buena 1550-AM with Carlos Cordova and Benny Pietrangelo calling the action.
FC Dallas, which is in seventh place in the Western Conference with a 6-9-5 record (23 pts.) enters the match after earning a 1-0 victory over Houston last Thursday (August 6) at Pizza Hut Park. After missing a penalty kick attempt in the 13th minute, forward Jeff Cunningham redeemed himself with his ninth goal of the season in the 20th minute to give Dallas just its second league win ever against its in-state rival. Dallas is now 3-2-0 in its last five MLS matches and has been paced this season by the aforementioned Cunningham, along with David Ferreira. Cunningham leads FCD with nine goals this season, along with three assists, while Ferreira has four goals and four assists to his credit in the 2009 campaign. Former FCD leading scorer and American international Kenny Cooper totaled seven goals and one assist for Dallas this season before departing to join 1860 Munich of the German Bundesliga 2.
The Crew, which sits in first place in the Eastern Conference with a 9-3-9 record (36 pts.), enters Saturday's match after earning an emphatic 3-0 win over San Jose last Saturday (August 8) in the first match of an international doubleheader on the "Night of Champions" at Candlestick Park. After a first half that saw neither side able to earn the advantage, the Crew opened the match up in the second stanza with three goals in the match's final 21 minutes. In the 69th minute, Emmanuel Ekpo's cross from the deep right wing found Robbie Rogers at the far post. Rogers' headed the pass back across the face of goal to Alejandro Moreno who headed home for his fourth goal of the season. In the 73rd minute, the Crew doubled its lead through a strong individual effort by Rogers who found space on the left wing but was quickly closed down by two San Jose defenders. Rogers battled past the Earthquake defense and earned a fortunate bounce of the ball to his feet. Rogers pounced and slammed a 10-yard shot from a tight angle past Joe Cannon for his first goal of the season. The Black and Gold wrapped up its scoring output with a final tally in the 86th minute when Gino Padula's corner kick found the head of Adam Moffat, whose deflected header beat Cannon for his first tally of the 2009 season. The victory gave Columbus its fifth shutout of the season, as goalkeeper William Hesmer kept the Earthquakes off the scoreboard with three saves on the night.
The Crew was without reigning MLS MVP and 2009 MLS All-Star First XI selection Guillermo Barros Schelotto and MLS All-Star defender Frankie Hejduk in last Saturday's match. Schelotto missed his fourth consecutive match due to a hamstring injury, while Hejduk sat out his third straight match due to a quad strain.
The Crew's match vs. the Earthquakes Saturday was part of San Jose's international doubleheader at Candlestick Park entitled the "Night of Champions." In the evening's second match, UEFA Champions League winner FC Barcelona drew with Mexican powerhouse Chivas Guadalajara, 1-1, in an international friendly.
The Crew will look to extend its active MLS record 19-game regular-season home unbeaten streak (21 including playoffs). The streak (13-0-6) dates back to a 2-0 loss to San Jose on June 7, 2008. The Black & Gold currently holds the significant distinction of being the owners of the longest regular-season home unbeaten streak (19 games - June 7, 2008 to July 25, 2009), longest regular-season road unbeaten streak (9 games - July 10, 2004 to Oct. 16, 2004) and the longest overall unbeaten streak (19 games - July 3, 2004 to April 2, 2005) in MLS history. Midfielder Brian Carroll will miss this Saturday's match against Dallas as he serves a mandatory one-game suspension for yellow card accumulation.
COLUMBUS CREW vs. FC Dallas
Saturday, August 15 - 7 p.m. (ET) - Crew Stadium
National Television: N/A; Regional Television: ONN-TV
Crew Radio: News/Talk 610 WTVN (English); La Que Buena 1550-AM (Spanish)
Crew Webcasts:TheCrew.com and MLSnet.com (English)
CREW RECORDS FIFTH SHUTOUT OF 2009, HESMER EARNS FOURTH CLEAN SHEET OF SEASON
The Crew earned its second consecutive shutout, and fifth of the 2009 season, in its 3-0 victory at San Jose last Saturday (Aug. 8). Goalkeeper William Hesmer made three saves in the match on his way to earning his fourth shutout of the campaign. Hesmer now sits sixth among MLS goals-against-average leaders with a 1.08 GAA after missing eight matches early in the season due to knee and back ailments.
ROGERS, MOFFAT EACH TALLY FIRST SCORES OF 2009 SEASON
Crew midfielders Robbie Rogers and Adam Moffat each scored their first goals of the 2009 season in the Crew's 3-0 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes last Saturday (Aug. 8) at Candlestick Park. In the 73rd minute, Rogers found space on the left wing but was quickly closed down by two San Jose defenders. Rogers battled past the Earthquake defense and pounced on the loose ball, slamming a 10-yard shot from a tight angle past Joe Cannon to double the Crew's lead. Moffat wrapped up the Black and Gold's scoring output in the 86th minute when Gino Padula's corner kick found the head of Moffat, whose deflected header beat Cannon for the final tally of the night.
CREW CELEBRITY BARTENDER NIGHT AT PARK STREET PATIO TONIGHT AT 7 P.M.
Come join Budweiser and the Crew tonight (Aug. 11),from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Park Street Patio (533 North Park Street in the Arena District), when Crew veterans Jason Garey, Frankie Hejduk and Duncan Oughton will be serving as celebrity bartenders for the evening, serving your favorite Budweiser products. All tips will benefit the Crew Soccer Foundation youth programming for central Ohio youth and families. Don't miss out on the fun in support of a great cause! Patrons must be 21 or older.
SCHELOTTO SITS IN SECOND PLACE ON MLS GOAL SCORING LIST
After missing his fourth consecutive match due to injury last Saturday (August 8), reigning MLS MVP and 2009 MLS All-Star First XI selection Guillermo Barros Schelotto now sits in second place on Major League Soccer's goal scoring list. Colorado's Conor Casey currently sits in first place on the list with 11 goals, followed by Schelotto, who leads the Crew with 10 goals this season. They are followed on the list by Seattle's Fredy Montero, L.A.'s Landon Donovan and Dallas' Jeff Cunningham who each have nine goals in 2009.
MARSHALL, MORENO JOIN RESPECTIVE NATIONAL TEAMS FOR AUG. 12 INTERNATIONAL MATCHES
Crew defender Chad Marshall and forward Alejandro Moreno each departed the Crew this weekend following its 3-0 victory over San Jose to join their respective national teams for international matches this Wednesday, Aug. 12. Marshall joins the U.S. Men's National Team for its crucial World Cup Qualifying match with Mexico at vaunted "Estadio Azteca" at 4 p.m. ET, as it looks for its first-ever victory on Mexican soil. Meanwhile, Moreno and the Venezuelan National Team will participate in an international friendly vs. Colombia at 6:30 p.m. ET at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Both Venezuela and Colombia, which are currently tied for seventh place in the South American qualifying standings, will use the match to prepare to resume World Cup Qualifying in September.
CREW, GLIDDEN TO CELEBRATE SAWMILL RD. HOME DEPOT'S 10TH ANNIVERSARY ON AUG. 15
On Saturday, Aug. 15, the Crew, along with its presenting sponsor Glidden, will help celebrate the Sawmill Road Home Depot's 10th Anniversary (5858 Sawmill Rd.) The Home Depot location will also be hosting its monthly Kid's Workshop in conjunction with the Crew, Glidden and other organizations throughout Columbus. The Crew Soccer Tour will be present from 9 a.m. to Noon and the Crew's Eric Brunner, a native of Dublin, Ohio, is scheduled to be out signing autographs and helping the kids during the Workshop from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. This community event will not only celebrate the store's 10th Anniversary, but also the 30th Anniversary of The Home Depot nationwide. The event is free and open to the entire community. The Kid's Workshop will run from 9 a.m. to Noon and will be held outside of the store, weather permitting. Come out and enjoy all the wide range of festivities and get a chance to meet Dublin-native Eric Brunner.
THIRD ANNUAL CREW 5K SET FOR THIS SATURDAY, AUG. 15, AT CREW STADIUM
The Columbus Crew 5K will be held this Saturday, Aug. 15, at 8 a.m. at Crew Stadium. All runners will receive a free tech shirt, goody bag and a free ticket to see the Crew take on FC Dallas at home that same day at 7 p.m. The Crew 5K Run/Walk course will wind around Columbus Crew Stadium, the Ohio Historical Society and some of the nearby fairground areas, with the finish taking place inside Crew Stadium at midfield. Following the race, there will be music, food, games, Crew Cat and the Crewzers on the Crew Kicker Plaza. Early registration can be completed for $35 or $40 on Race Day. Registration for the 1 Mile Kids' Run, which starts at 9:15 a.m., can be completed for $16, and includes a ticket to that evening's Crew game. Register online at: https://www.signmeup.com/TZ2V4K7 or click here to print a registration form. Prizes for top Crew 5K finishers include on-field recognition during pre-game, game tickets to future Crew games, team-autographed items and more. Race entries, registration, shirts and goodie bags can be picked up at the Columbus Running Company (6465 Perimeter Dr. Dublin, OH 43016) from Saturday, Aug. 8, through 1 p.m., Friday, Aug. 14. Race Day packet pickup and Race Day registration begins at the stadium at 6:30 am. For more information visit TheCrew.com.
LENHART TO VISIT FORT RAPIDS INDOOR WATERPARK RESORT TO SIGN AUTOGRAPHS ON AUG. 13
Crew forward Steven Lenhart will make an appearance at Fort Rapids Indoor Waterpark Resort on Thursday, Aug. 13 to sign autographs for fans from 5 - 6 p.m. Fort Rapids, located at 4560 Hilton Corporate Drive in Columbus, OH, is the Official Waterpark of the Columbus Crew. Crew Cat will also be in attendance.
