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MLS Columbus Crew SC

The Crew plays Real Salt Lake in Louisiana on March 11 and then heads to California

March 7, 2006 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Columbus Crew SC News Release


COLUMBUS, Ohio (Tuesday, March 7, 2006) - The Columbus Crew has returned from Cyprus and will train for one day in Columbus before heading to Louisiana and then California for its final trip before the season starts on April 1.

The Crew returned from Cyprus late Saturday night and will train on Wednesday, March 8, at 10 a.m. at Capital before departing for Lafayette, Louisiana on Thursday, March 9. The team will train in Louisiana on Friday and then face Real Salt Lake on Saturday, March 11, at 8 p.m. (ET) at the University of Louisiana in Lafayette Soccer Complex. The Crew-Real Salt Lake game will feature two players from Louisiana in Columbus' Jason Garey and RSL's Jason Kreis.

After Louisiana, the team will head to Southern California where they will train and play three games from March 12-24. In California The Crew will face UC Santa Barbara, UC Irvine and Chivas USA. The Crew went 3-1-1 in Cyprus and is 6-3-2 overall in preseason.

The Crew will open the 2006 MLS season with consecutive road games, starting with the season opener against the Kansas City Wizards on Saturday, April 1, at 8:30 p.m. (ET) at Arrowhead Stadium. The Black & Gold will then head to Colorado to take on the Colorado Rapids on Saturday, April 8, at 9:30 p.m. (ET) at Invesco Field at Mile High.

Columbus opens it home schedule vs. Eastern Conference rival the Chicago Fire on Saturday, April 15, at 4 p.m. (ET) at Columbus Crew Stadium in a nationally televised game on ESPN2.

Fans can become Crew Soccer Nation members by purchasing full-season ticket packages or partial plans, starting as low as $30 for the new Crew 3-Packs. Group tickets are available for all 16 home games, as well as a "Put out the Fire" Home Opener Pack for just $60, which includes four midfield tickets. All ticket packages or plans are available through TheCrew.com and 614-447-CREW.

CREW SCHEDULE (All times listed are local time)

March

7 OFF

8 10 a.m. training at Capital (inside if weather is bad)

9 Depart for Louisiana

10 10 a.m. train 4 p.m. train

11 7 p.m. Crew vs. Real Salt Lake (In Louisiana)

12 9 a.m. train Depart for Los Angeles

13 4 p.m. train

14 4 p.m. train and clinic

15 7 p.m. Crew at UC Santa Barbara

16 4 p.m. train

17 7 p.m. Crew at UC Irvine

18 OFF

19 OFF

20 10 a.m. train 4 p.m. train

21 10 a.m. train

22 7 p.m. Crew vs. Chivas USA in San Diego

23 10 a.m. train

24 Depart for Columbus

CREW PRESEASON RESULTS (preseason record 6-3-2)

Feb. 10 Vs. MetroStars at IMG (lost 2-0)

Feb. 10 Vs. USASA Amateur Select Team at IMG (won 3-1)

Feb. 12 Vs. Real Salt Lake, Tom Fitzgerald Memorial Soccer Festival at University of Tampa (won 1-0)

Feb. 14 Vs. Kansas City at IMG (tie 0-0)

Feb. 15 Vs. University of South Florida (won 5-2)

Feb. 16 Vs. Chicago at IMG (lost 3-1)

Feb. 25 Vs. Dynamo Kiev, Ukraine (won 3-1)

Feb. 27 Vs. Zaglebie, Poland (tie 1-1)

Feb. 28 Vs. Mordovia, Russia (won 3-0)

March 1 Vs. ENP, Cyprus (lost 1-0)

March 2 Vs. Panas, Armenia (won 2-1)

BRIAN McBRIDE AND JOHN WOLYNIEC GOALS ARE TWO OF FIVE FINALISTS REMAINING FOR

MLS GOAL OF THE DECADE; WINNER ANNOUNCED TODAY

More than 5,000 goals have been scored in the 10-year history of MLS, and former Crew star Brian McBride and current Crew forward John Wolyniec are two of the five nominees remaining for the Sierra Mist Goal of the Decade. The final round of voting has concluded and the winner will be announced today.

The competition began February 7 with a field of nominees consisting of three Goal of the Year finalists from each season in the first decade of Major League Soccer. Among those 30 goals were 12 stunning volleys, six bicycle kicks, five free kicks, four dribble runs, and one directly off a corner kick. All of the finalists were selected through fan voting. Fans can begin influencing the next Goal of the Decade competition by participating in the Sierra Mist Goal of the Week voting, which begins after the 2006 MLS season kicks off on April 1.

The five remaining nominees are:

1996 - Brian McBride, Columbus Crew

2003 - Carlos Ruiz, Los Angeles Galaxy

2003 - John Wolyniec, MetroStars

2005 - Carlos Ruiz, FC Dallas

2005 - Dewayne De Rosario, San Jose Earthquakes

VOTE FOR COLUMBUS MONTHLY'S "BEST OF COLUMBUS 2006" AT COLUMBUSMONTHLY.COM

Crew fans can vote for their favorite Crew player on-line at ColumbusMonthly.com in Columbus Monthly's annual Best of Columbus 2006 awards. The Best of Columbus is the best in shopping, sports, media, restaurants, entertainment and more. Results will be published in Best of Columbus 2006 in the July issue of Columbus Monthly. Three ballot authors each will receive a $100 gift certificate from one of the restaurants voted best by the readers of this poll. Internet balloting will close at 5 p.m. on April 28. Only one ballot per person-submitted either via the web or by printed form. (If mailing, send to Best of Columbus, P.O. Box 29913, Columbus, Ohio 43229-7513.) Your name and a daytime phone number must be provided for verification and to contact drawing winners.

CREW TO HOLD OPEN TRYOUTS ON SATURDAY, MARCH 25, AT OBETZ

The Crew will hold open tryouts for the fourth straight year, on Saturday, March 25, at the Crew Training Center at Obetz (4153 Alum Creek Dr).

The tryout will last all day, with registration beginning at 7 a.m. and the evening session ending at 6 p.m. Members of the Crew coaching staff will be in attendance throughout the day to assess and evaluate the entire player pool. As part of that evaluation process, the coaching staff will reserve the right to dismiss candidates at any time throughout the day. College players will not be eligible to participate in the tryout due to NCAA regulations. There is no pre-registration, and players should show up the day of the tryout.

All tryout participants will receive an official numbered tryout shirt that is theirs to keep. There will be a $50 administrative fee per player, which must be paid in cash or check prior to the first training session. All proceeds from participation in the Crew open tryouts will go to the Crew Soccer Foundation.

Individuals wishing to try out are solely responsible for any and all accommodations and transportation they deem necessary. They are also responsible for their own training gear, and must also bring their own ball.

For further information, interested players are encouraged to call Mike Lapper, Crew Assistant Coach and Director of Soccer Business Development, at 614-447-4141. Times are subject to change for weather or administrative reasons.

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