MLS Columbus Crew SC

New Season Starts Saturday

October 17, 2004 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Columbus Crew SC News Release


COLUMBUS, Ohio (Sunday, October 17) — Saturday is the start of a new season for The Crew, the beginning of the 2004 MLS Cup Playoffs, which means The Crew's Eastern Conference regular season title, its Supporters' Shield award and its MLS record 18-game unbeaten is a thing of the past.

"We are very proud of everything that we've accomplished this season," said Kyle Martino. "But it doesn't mean a thing if we aren't successful in the playoffs. Look at New England. They didn't have the type of regular season that they wanted but they have the same chance of winning MLS Cup as we do. We have to up the intensity for the playoffs."

Columbus, the top seed in the East, meets fourth-seeded New England in Game One of its Eastern Conference Semifinal series on Saturday, Oct. 23, at 7:30 p.m. at Gillette Stadium. Game Two of the series is set for Sunday, Oct. 31, at 5 p.m. at Crew Stadium, in a game televised on ESPN2. Local television for Saturday's game in New England is still being finalized. Both games can be heard in English on Eagle, 103.9, or online through TheCrew.com and MLSNet.com. Game Two can also be heard in Spanish, on AM-1550.

The conference semifinals are two-game, home-and-home, total-goal series. If the teams are tied in total goals at the end of Game Two, a 30-minute overtime will be played (no sudden death). If the teams are still tied, the series will be decided by a penalty-kick tiebreaker.

If The Crew advances to the Eastern Conference Final, it will be one game, and The Crew will host on Saturday, Nov. 6, at 7:30 p.m. at Crew Stadium. The same overtime and penalty-kick procedure as the conference semifinals will be in place. MLS Cup is scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 14, at 3:30 p.m. (ET) on ABC Sports at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., with the same overtime and penalty-kick format.

Tickets for Crew home playoff games can be acquired at the Crew Stadium Box Office, at any area Kroger Ticket Master outlet, via phone at 614-431-3600 or on line at TheCrew.com. Crew season ticket holders have Game One of the playoffs in their ticket packages.

The Crew ended the regular season on an 18-game unbeaten run (8-0-10) and finished 12-5-13 (49 pts.), while New England finished 8-13-9 (33 pts.).

2004 MLS CUP PLAYOFFS - EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS (GAME ONE)

COLUMBUS CREW at New England Revolution

Saturday, Oct. 23 – 7:30 p.m. (ET) at Gillette Stadium

Crew Television: TBD; Crew Radio: The New Eagle, 103.9 (English)

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

2004 MLS CUP PLAYOFFS - EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS (GAME TWO)

COLUMBUS CREW vs. New England Revolution

Sunday, Oct. 31 – 5 p.m. (ET) at Crew Stadium

National Television: ESPN2

Crew Radio: The New Eagle, 103.9 (English); AM-1550 WXOL (Spanish)

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

CREW CAPTURES ITS FIRST-EVER SUPPORTERS' SHIELD

The Crew's 1-1 tie at Colorado on Saturday, Oct. 16, gave Columbus 49 points and its first-ever Supporters' Shield. The Supporters' Shield goes to the club that ends the regular season with the best overall record in MLS. The Crew and Kansas City each ended the season with 49 points but Columbus captured the top overall mark based on the third tiebreaker. The first tiebreaker was head-to head which was 1-1-1 between the Wizards and Crew, and tiebreaker No. 2 was goal differential for the whole season which also ended in a tie at plus-8. The Crew won the third tiebreaker, which was total goals for the year, outscoring the Wizards 40-38.

CREW CAPTURES ITS FIRST EASTERN CONFERENCE REGULAR SEASON TITLE,

SECURES HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE THROUGHOUT PLAYOFFS

An Edson Buddle goal in The Crew's 1-0 win over Chicago on Oct. 6 gave Columbus its first-ever Eastern Conference regular season title and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Buddle hammered home a free kick goal in the 59' for the win. The Crew will be making its seventh playoff appearance in nine seasons. The closest Columbus had previously come to winning a conference title was in 2002 when The Crew tied New England for first place with 38 points but lost the season tiebreaker.

CREW ENDS REGULAR SEASON WITH MLS RECORD 18-GAME UNBEATEN STREAK,

STRETCHES ITS MLS RECORD ROAD UNBEATEN STREAK TO NINE

After its 1-1 tie at Colorado on Saturday, Oct. 16, The Crew ended the regular season with an MLS record 18-game unbeaten streak (8-0-10). Columbus smashed the previous mark of 15 that was set by Los Angeles over the course of the 1997 and 1998 seasons (shootouts included). Los Angeles won their last six games of 1997 and their first nine of 1998. The 18-game run is also the longest unbeaten streak in one season, shattering the old mark of 12. The Crew last lost in a league game on June 26, a 2-1 loss in Colorado. The previous Crew record was nine (7-0-2), set from 7/4 to 8/19, 2001. Columbus also had a seven-game (4-0-3) unbeaten streak earlier in the year from 5/1 to 6/12 that ranks as the third longest streak in team history.

Also with its 1-1 tie at Colorado on Saturday, The Crew stretched its MLS record for consecutive road games without a loss to nine. The previous record was seven, which had been done by D.C. (1999), Los Angeles (1997-98), New England (2002-03) and San Jose (2003), as well as the current Crew.

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