MLS Columbus Crew SC

Crew celebrates holiday with game vs. Fire and Fireworks

Published on July 3, 2008 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Columbus Crew SC News Release


COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Columbus Crew will play host to its second consecutive home match this week, as it welcomes the Eastern Conference-rival Chicago Fire to Crew Stadium on Saturday (July 5). A fireworks show is scheduled as part of Saturday night's postgame festivities, as the Crew celebrates Independence Day weekend. The match features a Crew side (8-4-2, 26 pts.) that is in the midst of a three-game unbeaten streak, thanks to a draw at Los Angeles and wins against Kansas City and Colorado in recent weeks, facing off against a Chicago squad (6-5-2, 20 pts.) that is winless in its last four league matches, following a strong start. However, the Fire have won a pair of U.S. Open Cup matches in that span to advance to the tournament's quarterfinals, including a 3-2 OT decision over the Crew on June 10 and a 4-1 victory over the Cleveland City Stars on Tuesday.

Saturday's match, which kicks off at 8 p.m. (ET) will be the first of two regular-season battles between the two rival sides. The Crew will travel to Chicago to take on the Fire at Toyota Park in the away portion of the home-and-home series on Oct. 12. It will be televised live nationally on Fox Soccer Channel and Fox Sports Español. The game can also be heard in English on News/Talk 610 WTVN with Dwight Burgess and John Bluem behind the microphone, and Neil Sika providing sideline coverage, and on-line at TheCrew.com and MLSNet.com, as well as in Spanish on La Que Buena 1550-AM with Marcelo Carrera, Eduardo Carvacho and Benny Pietrangelo on the call.

Chicago enters Saturday's match after registering a scoreless draw with the San Jose Earthquakes at home last Saturday (June 28). After a hot start to the season that saw Chicago competing for the top spot in the Eastern Conference standings, the Fire has cooled in recent weeks, going winless in its June MLS schedule. The Fire is led by Mexican midfield legend Cuauhtemoc Blanco, who has four goals and six assists in 13 appearances this season, and also features former Crew players Jon Busch, one of the most decorated goalkeepers to suit up for the Black & Gold, and Andy Herron, who was a member of the club's 2007 squad. Midfielder Chris Rolfe is a native of Kettering who played at Fairmont High School.

Columbus heads into the weekend's match after dispatching the Colorado Rapids, 2-1, last Saturday (June 28) at Crew Stadium thanks to a thrilling, skillful goal by Emmanuel Ekpo in the 70th minute, the first tally of his Crew and MLS career. Thanks to a penalty kick call drawn by Alejandro Moreno, the Crew also got a goal from Guillermo Barros Schelotto in the 53rd minute, which was soon equalized by the Rapids' Nick LaBrocca, before the Crew sealed the final margin thanks to Ekpo's exciting game-winner.

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Major League Soccer Stories from July 3, 2008


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