The Columbus Crew defended their post atop the MLS standings Saturday with a 3-2 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes at Buck Shaw Stadium on the campus of Santa Clara University. San Jose led 1-0 after 72 minutes of play, thanks to a goal by Ramiro Corrales in the 42nd minute. The Crew finally got on the board in the 73rd minute, thanks to a goal by Robbie Rogers, and proceeded to explode for two more goals in the next 10 minutes, including a second score by Rogers in the 81st and the game-winner by Brad Evans in the 83rd. Columbus endured a late score by the Earthquakes' Ryan Johnson in the 89th minute to make things tense in the late going, but was able to hold on for its fifth consecutive win.
Notes:
• The Crew's record now stands at 6-1-0 and it has now won five consecutive games for only the third time in club history and the first time since 1998. It is now off to the best seven-game start in team history.
• The Crew achieved their first comeback win of the season tonight. It had not trailed in its five previous wins.
• The Crew had 18 corner kicks, the most ever by Columbus in a single game in team history. The previous single-game record was 14, set on Sept. 24, 1998 vs. Tampa Bay.
• Midfielder Guillermo Barros Schelotto took all 18 corner kicks, setting the record for most corner kicks taken by a single player in Crew history. The previous record holder is current Crew assistant coach Robert Warzycha, who had 11 corners on June 27, 1996 at New England.
• Midfielder Robbie Rogers now has five goals on the season, already surpassing his goal total for all of last year (3). Rogers has tended to score in bunches, as tonight was his third career multi-goal game (10/20/07 at D.C., 4/12/08 vs. CHV, 5/10/08 at S.J.). He now has more multi-goal games (3) than he does single-goal games (2).
• Midfielder Emmanuel Ekpo made his second career appearance for the Crew tonight, coming on as a substitute in the 69th minute for Eddie Gaven. Ekpo made an immediate impact, as he assisted on the Crew's equalizing goal in the 73rd minute. The assist is the first of Ekpo's Crew and MLS career.
• With his assist on Rogers' goal in the 81st minute, forward Alejandro Moreno extended his consecutive games streak with either a goal or an assist to five. Moreno currently holds the longest active streak in MLS that category.
• Midfielder Brad Evans notched the game-winning goal in the 83rd minute, the first of his Crew and MLS career. Evans was called into early duty in tonight's match, as he replaced Stefani Miglioranzi in the 31st minute. Miglioranzi was forced to leave the game after sustaining a left quadriceps injury.
• With the Chivas USA vs. New England game still to play Sunday afternoon, Robbie Rogers is now tied for second (Kenny Cooper - DAL) in MLS in goals scored this season with five. With his game-winning assist on Brad Evans goal in the 83rd minute, Guillermo Barros Schelotto now has five helpers on the season, placing him alone atop the league leaders in that category.
• Formed Crew midfielder Ned Grabavoy assisted on San Jose's game-tightening goal in the 89th minute. Grabavoy spent a season and a half in Columbus before being selected by the Earthquakes in the third round of the 2007 Expansion Draft last November.
• The Crew are now 2-1-0 away from Crew Stadium this season. It hits the road again next week, as it travels to Canada to take on Toronto FC at 4 p.m. ET at BMO Field in the second leg of the inaugural Trillium Cup.
Columbus Crew (6-1-0) vs. San Jose Earthquakes (1-4-1) May 10, 2008 -- Buck Shaw Stadium at Santa Clara Univ.
Scoring Summary:
SJ -- Ramiro Corrales 1 (Ronnie O'Brien 1) 42 CLB -- Robbie Rogers 4 (Emmanuel Ekpo 1) 73 CLB -- Robbie Rogers 5 (Alejandro Moreno 3) 81 CLB -- Brad Evans 1 (Guillermo Barros Schelotto 5) 83 SJ -- Ryan Johnson 1 (Ned Grabavoy 2) 89
Lineups:
Columbus Crew -- William Hesmer, Frankie Hejduk, Chad Marshall, Danny O'Rourke, Ezra Hendrickson (Andy Iro 93+), Eddie Gaven (Emmanuel Ekpo 69), Brian Carroll, Stefani Miglioranzi (Brad Evans 31), Robbie Rogers, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Alejandro Moreno
Substitutes Not Used: Andy Gruenebaum, Nicolas Hernandez, Steven Lenhart, Jed Zayner
San Jose Earthquakes -- Joe Cannon, James Riley, Nick Garcia, Jason Hernandez, Eric Denton, Ronnie O'Brien (Gavin Glinton 82), Ramiro Corrales, Ned Grabavoy, Ivan Guerrero (Ryan Johnson 66), Peguero Jean Philippe (Shea Salinas 64), Kei Kamara
Substitutes Not Used: Preston Burpo, Ryan Cochrane, John Cunliffe, Joe Vide
Game Stats:
Total Shots:
• San Jose Earthquakes -- 19 (Ramiro Corrales 4)
• Columbus Crew -- 14 (Brad Evans 6)
Shots on Goal:
• San Jose Earthquakes -- 7 (5 tied with 1)
• Columbus Crew -- 8 (3 tied with 2)
Fouls:
• San Jose Earthquakes -- 8 (3 tied with 2)
• Columbus Crew -- 8 (3 tied with 2)
Offsides:
• San Jose Earthquakes -- 0
• Columbus Crew -- 2 (Guillermo Barros Schelotto 2)
Corner Kicks:
• San Jose Earthquakes -- 7 (Ramiro Corrales 5)
• Columbus Crew -- 18 (Guillermo Barros Schelotto 18)
Saves:
• San Jose Earthquakes -- 5 (Joe Cannon 5)
• Columbus Crew -- 5 (William Hesmer 5)
Misconduct Summary: SJ -- James Riley (caution; Professional Foul) 8
Referee: Jair Marrufo
Referee's Assistants:> Emiliano Monje; Greg Boles
4th official: Richard Heron
Time of Game: 1:54
Attendance: 9,318
Weather: Clear -and- 73 degrees
