MLS Columbus Crew SC

Crew heads West for two-game road swing

Published on March 31, 2009 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Columbus Crew SC News Release


COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Columbus Crew prepares itself for a busy MLS Week 3 schedule, as it hits the road to face a pair of Western Conference foes. The Crew first travels to Salt Lake City to take on Real Salt Lake on Thursday, then continues on to Los Angeles to play its second match in four days Sunday against Chivas USA.

Thursday's match, which kicks off at 9 p.m. ET, will be televised live nationally on ESPN2, with Glenn Davis and Kyle Martino calling all the action. Sunday's match kicks off at 8 p.m. ET and will televised live regionally on ONN-TV, with Dwight Burgess and Dante Washington providing the call. Both can also be heard in English on News/Talk 610 WTVN with Neil Sika behind the microphone and on-line at TheCrew.com and MLSNet.com, as well as in Spanish on La Que Buena 1550-AM.

Real Salt Lake enters Thursday's match after falling to Seattle Sounders FC, 2-0, last Saturday (March 28) at Qwest Field. Nate Jaqua and Fredy Montero each tallied for Seattle in the match, sending RSL away with a season opening loss. Thursday's match is RSL's home opener at Rio Tinto Stadium this season, as well as the Crew's first visit to the new venue. RSL owns a record of 2-1-1 at Rio Tinto, since the stadium opened with much fanfare last Oct. 9 against New York.

Chivas USA heads into Sunday's match after downing FC Dallas, 2-0, last Saturday on the road at Pizza Hut Park. Chivas USA got second-half goals from newly-acquired forwards Eduardo Lillingston and Bojan Stepanovic to improve its record to 2-0-0 on the season, It now sits tied atop the Western Conference with Seattle Sounders FC.

The Black & Gold enters its pair of matches this week after drawing with Toronto FC, 1-1, Saturday at First Kick 2009 at Crew Stadium in the first leg of the 2009 Trillium Cup. The Crew took the lead in the 30th minute, when the arm of Toronto midfielder Kevin Harmse made contact with a cross from Guillermo Barros Schelotto inside the box. Referee Michael Kennedy immediately pointed the spot and reigning MLS MVP Schelotto drilled the ensuing penalty kick into the back of the net for his second goal in as many games.

Late in the proceedings, Toronto was the beneficiary of a fluke play that tied the game. Toronto midfielder Dwayne De Rosario sent a long free kick from the left flank into the box. Gino Padula headed the ball backwards toward goal on a high arc and Crew goalkeeper William Hesmer was helpless to corral the ball as it hit the crossbar, deflected off his back and trickled into the net for the equalizer.

After draws in consecutive weeks, the Crew now sits tied for second in the Eastern Conference standings and Schelotto finds himself tied for second on the MLS goal leaders list after tallying in each of the Crew's matches to date.

COLUMBUS CREW at Real Salt Lake

Thursday, April 2 - 9 p.m. (ET) at Rio Tinto Stadium

National Television: ESPN2; Regional Television: N/A

Crew Radio: News/Talk 610 WTVN (English); La Que Buena 1550-AM (Spanish)

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

COLUMBUS CREW at Chivas USA

Sunday, April 5 - 8 p.m. (ET) at The Home Depot Center

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 RECEIVES CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION

Columbus City Council on Monday, March 30, presented the Crew with a Resolution of Expression, introduced by Council Member Priscilla R. Tyson, recognizing the club's first 13 MLS seasons of accomplishment, both on and off the field, and wishing it luck as it embarks upon its 14th. Crew President & General Manager Mark McCullers, head coach Robert Warzycha and defender Eric Brunner, a Dublin native and former Ohio State star, were on hand at City Hall to receive the Resolution during Council's meeting.

SCHELOTTO RECORDS GOAL FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE MATCH

Reigning MLS MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto has gotten off to a hot start in 2009, recording his second goal in as many matches last Saturday (March 28) against Toronto. Schelotto, who has provided both Crew goals so far this season, converted the Crew's first penalty kick of the season in last Saturday's match vs. the Reds, after notching his first goal of 2009 in the Black & Gold's season opener at Houston on March 21.

GRENDI EARNS FIRST CAREER MLS START, ELENIO MAKES SEASON DEBUT

Rookie midfielder Alex Grendi, the Crew's third-round selection (No. 45 overall) of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft, earned his first career MLS start in the Crew's 1-1 draw with Toronto FC last Saturday (March 28). Grendi was replaced in the 73rd minute by Cory Elenio, who made his season debut in the match, after experiencing leg cramps. Grendi made his Crew and MLS debut in the Black & Gold's season opener at Houston on March 21 and recorded his first career assist on Guillermo Barros Schelotto's equalizing goal in the 81st minute. Elenio earned just the second appearance of his young MLS career, having made his Crew and MLS debut last season when he came on as a substitute in the Crew's match at Kansas City on June 14, 2008.

HEJDUK, MORENO AND OUGHTON ALL SEE ACTION FOR RESPECTIVE NATIONAL TEAMS

Crew defender Frankie Hejduk, forward Alejandro Moreno and midfielder Duncan Oughton each saw action for their respective national teams last weekend as FIFA conducted matches throughout the world. Hejduk, who suited up for the United States in World Cup Qualifying action, had the most impact on his match, as he started and went the full 90 minutes, assisted on the U.S.'s first goal and then equalized the match with a late header as the Red, White and Blue came back from a 2-0 deficit to earn a point on the road against El Salvador. Moreno came on as a substitute in the 50th minute of Venezuela's 4-0 World Cup Qualifying loss at Argentina, while Oughton started in New Zealand's 3-1 loss to Thailand in an international friendly. All three nations have another match this week, with Venezuela taking on Colombia tonight (March 31) in Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela. On Wednesday (April 1), the United States faces Trinidad & Tobago in Nashville, Tenn., while New Zealand plays a second international friendly against Thailand 'A' in Bangkok.

MAYOR COLEMAN UNVEILS SPECIAL 'MLS CHAMPIONS WAY' SIGNAGE

The Crew held its annual media day last Wednesday (March 25), where the Crew coaching staff and players were present to chat with members of the media and offer their thoughts on the season ahead. Columbus Mayor Michael B. Coleman stopped by to show his support and announce that the city has ceremonially renamed Silver Dr., between Hudson and the stadium, "MLS Champions Way." With the help of Crew President & General Manager Mark McCullers and head coach Robert Warzycha, he unveiled a replica of the three street signs now in place at the intersection of Silver and Hudson and Silver just further south at the I-71 on-ramp.

CREW RESERVES DOWN UNIVERSITY OF LOUISVILLE, 1-0, SUNDAY MORNING

The Crew Reserves took on the University of Louisville in a friendly match on Sunday (March 29), downing the Cardinals by a score of 1-0. The match, which featured a number of guest players for the Crew, was at times affected by high winds and significant rainfall. Crew players Andy Gruenebaum, Andy Iro, Eric Brunner, Cory Elenio, Adam Moffat, Kevin Burns, Stanley Nyazamba and Steven Lenhart all got the start for the Black & Gold, but it was guest player Tony Labudovski who scored the Crew's lone goal in the 29th minute, when Nyazamba served a cross in from the right side which eventually fell to Labudovski, who controlled and sent the loose ball into the back of the net.

CHECK OUT CREWXTRA WEDNESDAY TONIGHT AT 8 P.M. ON ONN-TV

CrewXtra, the Crew's new weekly show, airs every Wednesday at 8 p.m. (and again at 11 p.m.) on ONN-TV. This week, host Dan Fronczak, filling in for Beau Bishop, will be joined by Crew President & General Manager Mark McCullers and Crew TV analyst Dante Washington. CrewXtra provides viewers with in-depth coverage and access to the team every week, including game recaps, breakdowns and previews of the upcoming matches, while interspersing other news, interviews, discussion and interactive features.

CREW SOCCER ACADEMY SQUADS TO ONCE AGAIN HOST PAIR OF MATCHES THIS WEEKEND

The Crew Soccer Academy squads hosted a pair of matches last weekend as they continued play in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy league. On Saturday (March 28), both squads took on CASA (Cleveland, OH) at the Crew Training Facility at Obetz, with the 15/16s drawing with CASA, 1-1, thanks to a goal by Chris Davis, and the 17/18s defeating their counterparts from CASA, 2-0, with both goals coming from Tyler Pollock. On Sunday (March 29), both teams faced Internationals (Cleveland, OH) at Crew Stadium, where the 15/16 kick earned another 1-1 draw, thanks to an own goal, followed by the 17/18s, who earned a 1-0 victory over Internationals with the lone goal coming from Kyle Hyland. Both teams will once again host matches in Columbus this coming weekend, beginning Saturday (April 4), as the 15/16s face Louis Scott Gallagher Metro at 1 p.m., followed by the 17/18s at 3 p.m. On Sunday, both teams will face Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri, with 15/16s kicking the action off at 10 a.m. and the 17/18s following at 12 noon. All four matches will take place at the Crew Training Facility at Obetz (4153 Alum Creek Dr.) and are free and open to the public. The 15/16's record to-date is 5-2-6, while the 17/18s currently sit at 8-2-3 on the season.

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