MLS Columbus Crew SC

Two-Game Week on Tap for Black & Gold

Published on May 27, 2008 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Columbus Crew SC News Release


COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Columbus Crew faces a jam-packed schedule this week, as it prepares to play a pair of matches, beginning tonight (Tuesday, May 27) when it plays host to Real Salt Lake at Crew Stadium, in a U.S. Open Cup qualifying match. The club then departs Columbus on Thursday (May 29) for its trip to Los Angeles this season, where it will take on Chivas USA Saturday (May 31) in a league match at The Home Depot Center.

The Crew attempts to advance in the 2008 U.S. Open Cup tonight, as it welcomes Real Salt Lake to town. Salt Lake advanced to second stage of qualifying by defeating San Jose, 4-0, on April 30, in a first-round qualifying match at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah. The winner of tonight's match will take on the Chicago Fire on Tuesday, June 10, at 8 p.m. (ET) at Bradley University's Shea Stadium in Peoria, Ill. The winner of that game will advance to the Open Cup's Round of 16.

The game has been designated "Special Game A" in Crew Soccer Nation Gold memberships (full-season ticket packages). Tickets are still available at the Crew Stadium Box Office.

Due to schedule congestion, U.S. Open Cup Qualifying was adjusted prior to last season, marking the first time since 2002 - when the Crew won the tournament - that all eligible MLS teams did not participate in the U.S. Open Cup tournament proper, although each team will have the chance to qualify for the tournament. Dating back to 1914, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is the oldest cup competition in United States soccer and is among the oldest in the world. Open to all affiliated amateur and professional teams in the United States, the annual tournament is in its 94th year.

The Black & Gold then returns to league action Saturday, when it will take on Chivas USA at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. The match features a Crew squad (6-2-1, 19, pts.) that is currently in a three-way tie for first place in the Eastern Conference standings with New England and Chicago, going into the Revs' Primetime Thursday date vs. D.C. United, while Chivas USA (3-4-2, 11 pts.) continues its push to climb the Western Conference table.

Saturday's match, which kicks off at 10:30 p.m. ET, will be televised live locally on Columbus Sports Network, with Dwight Burgess and Dante Washington calling all the action. The game 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.

Chivas USA welcomes the Crew to The HDC this weekend after securing a 2-1 victory over Colorado last Saturday (May 24), on the strength of goals from Jesse Marsch and Jorge Flores. Thanks to the victory, the Goats are now on a two-game winning streak, and now find themselves nearing the top of the Western Conference standings. The Crew defeated Chivas in a 4-3 thriller April 12 at Crew Stadium.

In its match last Saturday (May 24), the Crew experienced its first home loss in five games so far at Crew Stadium, falling to New England, 1-0, thanks to a last-minute goal by the Revs' Kheli Dube, off the rebound of a William Hesmer penalty-kick save.

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Major League Soccer Stories from May 27, 2008


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