MLS Columbus Crew SC

Crew prepares to wrap up regular season vs. D.C. United Sunday

Published on October 21, 2008 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Columbus Crew SC News Release


COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Supporters' Shield-winning Crew returns home to face rival D.C. United this Sunday, Oct. 26, at Crew Stadium in the final regular season match of the season, following a 3-1 setback at New York last Saturday (Oct. 18). The Crew (16-7-6, 54 pts.) heads into Sunday's match looking to build momentum in its final match before the 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs, while D.C. United (11-14-4, 37 pts.) needs a win if it hopes to move past Kansas City and/or New York, which both have 39 points, and into one of the final unclaimed playoff spots.

Sunday's match kicks off at 5 p.m. and will be televised live locally on ONN, with Dwight Burgess and Bill McDermott calling all the action and Katie Witham providing sideline coverage. The game can be heard in English on WRXS Radio 106.7. (PLEASE NOTE CHANGE) 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 Eduardo Carvacho and Benny Pietrangelo on the call.

The MLS Supporters' Shield trophy has arrived in Columbus and it will be featured in a post-game presentation ceremony that is currently being planned with the club's primary supporters' groups - Crew Union, Hudson Street Hooligans and La Turbina Amarilla.

D.C. enters Sunday's match after defeating New England, 2-1, last Thursday (Oct. 16) on ESPN2. New England got on the board first thanks to a Taylor Twellman tally in the 58th minute, but D.C.'s playoff hopes were salvaged when Liberian striker Francis Doe netted goals in the 63rd and 80th minutes to secure the comeback victory for United. The crucial result broke a 10-game winless skid in all competitions and kept United in contention for a playoff spot despite the two-month drought between league wins. D.C. is led into Sunday's match by the attacking duo of Luciano Emilio and Jamie Moreno. Reigning MLS MVP Emilio has 11 goals and five assists this season, while MLS all-time leading goal-scorer Moreno enters the match with 10 goals and 10 assists during the 2008 campaign.

The Black & Gold heads into the match after its 3-1 setback to New York last Saturday (Oct. 18) on the road. Rookie forward Steven Lenhart scored his fourth goal of the season in the match, but it was not enough to overcome a Red Bulls squad that got two second-half goals from Juan Pablo Angel and a third tally on a bizarre play that saw backup goalkeeper Danny Cepero skip an 80-yard free kick off the artificial turf and into the Crew's net. With the Crew already guaranteed the top seed in the 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs, head coach Sigi Schmid took the opportunity to rest several key starters for the match as goalkeeper William Hesmer, defenders Frankie Hejduk and Chad Marshall, midfielder Robbie Rogers and forward Alejandro Moreno all sat out. Sunday's game vs. D.C. also gives MLS Coach of the Year candidate Schmid another opportunity to set a new personal record for most victories in a regular season, as the Crew's 16 wins to date in 2008 is currently tied with his 2002 MLS Cup-champion Los Angeles Galaxy squad.

Sunday's match will be the second and final match between the two Eastern Conference rivals this season. In their first meeting on Thursday, April 17, the Crew went into RFK Stadium and secured a 2-1 victory over United on ESPN2 Primetime Thursday. The Crew's Moreno opened the scoring in the 32nd minute. D.C. would draw even just moments later, but Moreno again proved to be the difference as he forced United into giving up a game-winning own goal.

COLUMBUS CREW vs. D.C. United

Sunday, Oct. 26 - 5 p.m. (ET) at Crew Stadium

National Television: N/A; Local Television: ONN

Crew Radio: WRXS Radio 106.7 (English); La Que Buena 1550-AM (Spanish)

Crew Webcasts: TheCrew.com; MLSNet.com (English)

CREW'S FIRST HOME PLAYOFF GAME SET FOR NOV. 8, TICKETS ON SALE NOW

Tickets for the Crew's run in the 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs are currently available at the Crew Stadium Box Office and all central Ohio Ticketmaster retail locations, via Ticketmaster phone at 614-431-3600 and on-line at TheCrew.com and Ticketmaster.com. Two-game playoff ticket strips, which range from $34-$70 for adults and $26-$50 for students, include both of the Black & Gold's potential playoff games - the guaranteed second leg of the home-and-home conference semifinals on Saturday, Nov. 8, and the Eastern Conference Final, which the Crew would host if it advances. Single-game tickets for the Nov. 8 match are also available. The Crew will face one of three potential opponents in its first round match-up - D.C. United, Kansas City Wizards or New York Red Bulls.

SCHELOTTO CONTINUES ASSAULT ON CREW, MLS RECORD BOOKS

Playmaker Guillermo Barros Schelotto earned another assist last Saturday (Oct. 18) in the Crew's match at New York, pushing his league-leading season total to 19. The assist extends Schelotto's lead in the Crew records books for most assists in a season, which he originally eclipsed on Aug. 30 against FC Dallas when he surpassed John Wilmar Perez's total of 15 in a season. With one game yet to play, Schelotto is also now tied for second (Marco Etcheverry, Carlos Valderrama) in MLS history for most assists in a single season. With at least one assist against D.C. United this Sunday, Schelotto could become only the second player in MLS history to record 20 assists in a single season (Valderrama, 26 in 2000).

Crew CELEBRITY Bartender Night at Brewsky's THIS THURSDAY

Crew veterans Jason Garey, Frankie Hejduk and Duncan Oughton will be serving as celebrity bartenders this Thursday, Oct. 23, from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Brewsky's Sports Bar (4510 Kenny Road, Columbus 43220), official away game viewing headquarters of the Crew. Admission is free and all tips will benefit Crew Soccer Foundation youth programming for central Ohio youth and families. Don't miss out on the fun in support of a great cause!

CREW STADIUM TO HOST HIGH SCHOOL GRIDIRON MATCH-UP BETWEEN HILLIARD DAVIDSON & HILLIARD DARBY THIS THURSDAY

Crew Stadium's 2008 High School Football Series, presented by OhioHealth, wraps up this Thursday, Oct. 23, at 7 p.m. as the Hilliard Davidson Wildcats host the Hilliard Darby Panthers in the final game of the regular season. All tickets are General Admission and will be $5 for students, $8 for adults and will be available for purchase from the two participating schools leading up to each game, as well as the Crew Stadium Box Office and Ticketmaster.com. The game is set to be televised live on ONN, as part of its "Ohio's Big Game" series which brings together the "best of the best" each week from all across the state. Emmy-award winning announcer Dave Bacon leads ONN's coverage and he will be joined by analyst and former Ohio State quarterback Greg Frey, while Katie Witham reports from the sidelines. Coverage begins with "High School Game Day" at 6:30 p.m., a half hour before kickoff. Dan Fronczak and JJ, the founder of JJHuddle.com, will host from Crew Stadium. Gates will open at 6 p.m. Parking for the event is set at $5. A limited number of suites are also available for the contests in the 2008 High School Football Series presented by OhioHealth; please call 447-CREW for more information.

CREW TO HOST ANNUAL AWARDS CEREMONY AND CASINO NIGHT NEXT MONDAY, OCT. 27

The Columbus Crew will hold its 2008 Team Awards Ceremony presented by adidas next Monday, Oct. 27, at 7 p.m. at Lifestyles Community Pavilion. This year's festivities will once again feature a "Casino Night" for attendees immediately following the Awards Ceremony. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m., with the Awards Ceremony beginning at 7 p.m. and a variety of casino games to follow. The following awards will be presented during the ceremony: Glidden Man of the Year, OhioHealth Comeback Player of the Year, Sierra Mist Goal of the Year, Crew Most Valuable Player, Budweiser Golden Boot, U.S. Soccer Foundation Humanitarian of the Year, Youth Soccer Volunteer of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, CSF Crew Chiefs Hardest Working Man, Defender of the Year, Coaches Award, Fan's Choice Award and Crew Fan of the Year. Gold Level Crew Soccer Nation members will be admitted free of charge. The general public can purchase tickets for $15 in advance or $20 at the door. All proceeds will benefit the Crew Soccer Foundation, the charitable arm of the Columbus Crew. Visit TheCrew.com for more information and to purchase tickets.

GAVEN, MORENO AND NOONAN TYPICALLY EXCEL IN MONTH OF OCTOBER

Forwards Alejandro Moreno and Pat Noonan and midfielder Eddie Gaven have displayed a tendency to excel in the month of October during their careers, as each player ranks in the top 10 among active players in goals scored, while Moreno and Gaven rank in the top five in assists during the month of October in their careers (regular season games). After his tally against Chicago on Oct. 12, Gaven now has six goals in the month of October, which places him sixth among active players, while Moreno and Noonan have five career goals during October, good for eighth place.

CREW PLAYERS AMONG LEAGUE STATISTICAL LEADERS

Several Crew players are among MLS' statistical leaders as the 2008 regular season schedule comes down the home stretch. Midfielder Guillermo Barros Schelotto is enjoying an MVP-type season, as he currently leads the league in both assists and corner kicks by a wide margin. Schelotto currently has 19 assists on the season, distancing himself from his closest competitor (Javier Morales, RSL - 15), while also totaling 121 corner kicks in 2008. Schelotto is also tied for first place in MLS in game-winning assists with five this season. Forward Alejandro Moreno finds himself tied for eighth place in MLS in goals scored, with nine, and midfielder Robbie Rogers ranks among the league's best in several categories, as he is currently sixth in shots (70) and is tied for sixth in shots on goal (33). Rogers is also tied for third in MLS in multi-goal games, with two.

CREW FEATURES THREE OF THE LEAGUE'S FOUR MOST-FOULED PLAYERS

The Crew's roster features three of the four most-fouled players in Major League Soccer - Robbie Rogers is currently second in the league with 72 fouls suffered this season, while Alejandro Moreno sits in third place with 65 and Guillermo Barros Schelotto is fourth with 60.

Check out the Columbus Crew SC Statistics

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Major League Soccer Stories from October 21, 2008


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