MLS Columbus Crew SC

Match Preview: Crew Opens Three-Match Homestand with Test Against Toronto FC

August 8, 2014 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Columbus Crew SC News Release


COLUMBUS - The Columbus Crew (6-7-9, 27 points) begins a three-match homestand with the final leg of the Trillium Cup, presented by Scotts, as the club hosts rival Toronto FC (8-7-5, 29 points) for Kirk Urso Memorial Night at Crew Stadium on Saturday, August 9 at 7:30 p.m. ET. Time Warner Cable SportsChannel is televising the game, with Dwight Burgess, Chris Doran and Ashleigh Ignelzi on the call. Neil Sika and John Bluem are set to describe the action for WHOK-107.1 FM, with Carlos Cordova and Juan Valladares behind the microphone for La Mega 103.1 FM.

Saturday is Kirk Urso Memorial Night at Crew Stadium. Surrounding the match, television and radio broadcasts are set to drive participation to an online auction that features high-value items including unique experiences and autographed memorabilia. Kirk Urso Memorial Fund merchandise will be sold, with proceeds benefiting the Memorial Fund. In addition to those items, any jersey that is personalized with Urso's name and number will have a portion of the proceeds from the personalization going to the Kirk Urso Memorial Fund. Additionally, fans attending the match have the opportunity to be among the first to secure a copy of Crew historian Steve Sirk's special book, Kirk Urso: Forever Massive Memories from the 2012 Columbus Crew. The fundraising efforts for the Kirk Urso Memorial Fund continue with the Crew Soccer Foundation's fourth annual Golf Classic at Pinnacle Golf Club on Monday, August 11 in Grove City, Ohio.

The Crew has gone unbeaten over its last three League matches and it currently sits in fifth place in the Eastern Conference. The Black & Gold secured a 1-1 draw against Chicago in their last contest on Saturday, August 2. Prior to that, the Crew defeated New England on the road and Montreal at home. This is the third and final League meeting between Toronto FC and Columbus in 2014. The Reds emerged victorious in both earlier match-ups and secured the Trillium Cup in 2014.

Toronto FC got a break from Federico Higuain in the last meeting on May 31 while the Argentine served a one-match suspension for yellow-card accumulation. Higuain has been lethal against Toronto and has recorded five goals and two assists in just six meetings with the Reds. He recorded a two-goal performance on August 18, 2013, assisted Dominic Oduro on the game-winning goal on May 18, 2013 and the Crew playmaker recorded a brace in the final meeting between the two teams in 2012 on October 28. Pipa has been quite efficient against the Reds, as he's scored all five goals on just seven shots on goal in 525 minutes. Oduro returns to Columbus for the first time after being traded from the Black & Gold to Toronto on June 6, 2014.

Toronto FC at Columbus Crew

Saturday, August 9 - 7:30 p.m. ET - Columbus Crew Stadium (Columbus, Ohio)

Regional Television: Time Warner Cable SportsChannel

Crew Radio: WHOK-107.1 FM (English); La Mega 103.1 (Spanish)

Check out the Columbus Crew SC Statistics



Major League Soccer Stories from August 8, 2014


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