MLS Columbus Crew SC

Crew preps for Saturday's 2008 MLS Cup Playoff opener in Kansas City

Published on October 29, 2008 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Columbus Crew SC News Release


COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Supporters' Shield-winning Columbus Crew kicks off its 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs campaign against the Kansas City Wizards this Saturday, Nov. 1, at CommunityAmerica Ballpark, after concluding its regular season schedule with a 1-0 victory over D.C. United last Sunday (Oct. 26) at Crew Stadium. The Crew heads into the playoffs as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference (and overall), while Kansas City enters the game as fourth seed in the East after clinching its position in the final week of regular-season play.

Saturday's match kicks off at 8 p.m. (ET) and will be televised live locally on ONN, with Dwight Burgess and Dante Washington calling all the action, as well as nationally on HDNet. The game can be heard in English on News/Talk 610 WTVN and on-line at theCrew.com and MLSNet.com, with Neil Sika behind the microphone, as well as in Spanish on La Que Buena 1550-AM, with Eduardo Carvacho on the call.

K.C. enters Saturday's match on the heels of a 3-1 victory at New England last Saturday (Oct. 25), which it controlled throughout. The Wizards scored the game's first three goals thanks to Claudio Lopez, Davy Arnaud and an own goal by New England's Michael Parkhurst, before the Revs responded with a late goal by Jeff Larentowicz. Kansas City enters the match riding a four-game unbeaten streak to end the regular season, including a three-game winning streak thanks to two victories over New England and a win vs. San Jose. The Wizards are led into the postseason by the trio of Arnaud, Lopez and Jimmy Conrad. Arnaud leads the way with seven goals this season, while Conrad and Lopez have six goals apiece. Lopez also led the team with seven assists.

The Black & Gold heads into the match after its 1-0 victory over D.C. United last Sunday (Oct. 26). After neither club could find the back of the net in the match's first 76 minutes, midfielder Brad Evans broke the deadlock between the two clubs with a scintillating left-footed game-winner from 30 yards out in the 77th minute for his fifth goal of the season. Evans' goal gave the Crew its 50th tally of the 2008 season, the most by a Crew squad in the post-shootout era (since 2000).

The 2008 regular season was one of the best in Crew history, as the Black & Gold set a new club record for points in a season, eclipsing the 2004 Supporters' Shield-winning squad that earned 49 points, while also setting new club marks for wins and goals (50) in the post-shootout era (since 2000). Decorated Crew head coach Sigi Schmid also achieved a pair of new milestones this season, as he notched his 100th career MLS victory early in the campaign and the club's 17 wins set a new single-season career-high, one more than his 2002 MLS Cup-champion Los Angeles Galaxy squad. That team was the last in MLS history to win both the Supporters' Shield and MLS Cup.

Saturday's match will mark the first time the two clubs have faced off in the MLS Cup Playoffs. The Crew won this year's three-game regular-season series with a record of 2-0-1, with eight goals for and four goals against. In their first match, on May 3, the Crew got first-half goals from Adam Moffat and Robbie Rogers on its way to a 2-1 victory over the Wizards at Crew Stadium. On June 14 in Kansas City, the Crew grabbed an early lead thanks to a Chad Marshall header in the third minute, and then doubled its lead in the 20th minute, thanks to Alejandro Moreno, who then scored again in the 66th minute to give Columbus a 3-0 victory. In their third and final match, at Crew Stadium on July 17, Columbus found itself down early thanks to a Frankie Hejduk own goal and a score by former OSU Buckeye Roger Espinoza, but stormed back with the match's next three goals - from Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Moreno and Marshall - to take a one goal lead into the half. Late in the proceedings, Josh Wolff was finally able to find the goal the Wizards were looking for, as he equalized in the 75th minute to send both sides away from the match with a point apiece.

COLUMBUS CREW at Kansas City

Saturday, Nov. 1 - 8 p.m. (ET) at CommunityAmerica Ballpark

National Television: HDNet; Local Television: ONN

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

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

TICKETS ON SALE FOR CREW'S FIRST HOME PLAYOFF GAME VS. K.C. ON NOV. 8

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 second leg of the home-and-home conference semifinals against Kansas City on Saturday, Nov. 8, and the Eastern Conference Final, which the Crew would host if it advances past the Wizards. Single-game tickets for the Nov. 8 match are also available.

CREW TO HOST PLAYOFF VIEWING PARTY IN CREW STADIUM'S HUNTINGTON CLUB THIS SATURDAY

The Crew will be hosting a special playoff edition away game viewing party in Crew Stadium's Huntington Club this Saturday, Nov. 1, for the first game of the Black & Gold's Eastern Conference Semifinals series at Kansas City. Sodexo Sports and Leisure Services will offer a select menu of food and beverages for sale during the game. Doors will open at 7 p.m. to televise part of the Chivas USA vs. Real Salt Lake match prior to the Crew's game against Kansas City, which kicks off at 8 p.m.

CREW TO HOST PLAYOFF RALLY NOV. 6 AT EASTON

The Crew will host a playoff rally Thursday, Nov. 6, indoors at Easton Town Center from 6 to 8 p.m. in anticipation of Game 2 of its Eastern Conference Semifinal series vs. Kansas City at Crew Stadium Nov. 8. Further details will be forthcoming shortly.

HESMER RECORDS 10th SHUTOUT OF SEASON

Goalkeeper William Hesmer earned his 10th shutout of the season in the Crew's 1-0 win over D.C. United last Sunday (Oct. 26), extending his career high. Thanks to the Crew's stellar defensive play late in the regular season, Hesmer finished the season tied for first place in MLS in shutouts, while leading the league in wins (17) and finishing third in goals-against-average (1.14) and saves percentage (73.5).

CREW GETS GOALS FROM MULTIPLE SOURCES IN DIVERSE ATTACK

With his goal last Sunday (Oct. 26), Brad Evans became the fourth player (Moreno, Schelotto, Rogers) to register at least five goals for the Crew this season. The Black & Gold has received its goals from various sources this season, as 14 different players have scored and 10 of them have scored at least two goals, eight have scored at least three and six have scored at least four.

CREW PLAYERS AMONG LEAGUE STATISTICAL LEADERS

Several Crew players finished the 2008 MLS regular season among MLS' best in several statistical categories. Midfielder Guillermo Barros Schelotto enjoyed an MVP-type season, as he led the league in both assists and corner kicks by a wide margin. Schelotto finished with 19 assists on the season, distancing himself from his closest competitor (Javier Morales, RSL - 15), while also totaling 126 corner kicks. Schelotto also tied for first place in MLS in game-winning assists with five this season. Forward Alejandro Moreno tied for ninth place in MLS in goals scored, with nine, and midfielder Robbie Rogers ranked among the league's best in several categories, as he finished sixth in shots (70) and tied for seventh in shots on goal (33). Rogers also tied for third in MLS in multi-goal games, with two.

CREW FINISH WITH 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 finished second in the league with 73 fouls suffered this season, while Alejandro Moreno finished third with 69 and Guillermo Barros Schelotto fourth with 63. The Crew was the second most fouled team, as a whole, just two fouls behind New England (387-385).

AUTOGRAPHED PLAYER POSTER AUCTION, BENEFITING CSF, IN FINAL DAYS

For the third straight year, the Crew is auctioning off the signed, foam core-mounted posters used at Autograph Alley via an on-line auction at TheCrew.com. The auctions close on Friday afternoon, Oct. 31. All proceeds benefit the club's charitable arm, the Crew Soccer Foundation. Please call 614-447-CREW or visit TheCrew.com for more information.

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Major League Soccer Stories from October 29, 2008


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