TAMPA, Fla. - The Columbus Crew struck twice within a five-minute span in the second half to overturn an early Real Salt Lake lead and held on to claim a 2-1 victory in the third annual Tom Fitzgerald Memorial Match Thursday at the University of South Florida's Sun Dome.
Duncan Oughton and Aaron Chandler scored on either side of a mass substitution by the Crew to power coach Sigi Schmid's club to victory. Oughton's 59th minute goal was followed by the insertion of nine new players into the lineup, including Chandler, a rookie forward who scored the game-winner just four minutes later. Atiba Harris got Real Salt Lake on the board first in the 14th minute, one-timing in a Mehdi Ballouchy feed.
Unlimited substitutions were permitted and a total of 23 players saw action for the Crew. The first change was made in the 24th minute, when Marc Burch came on for midfielder Jacob Thomas, who was forced to exit with a slight quad strain.
Fitzgerald, the second head coach in Crew history (1996-2001), was killed in a motorcycle accident in December 2004. All proceeds of the match will go to the Tom Fitzgerald Memorial Scholarship Fund, established in his honor at the University of Tampa, where he was coaching at the time of his death. UT hosted the match, but its Pepin Stadium is undergoing renovations so it was played across town at USF.
Donations can be sent to: Tom Fitzgerald Memorial Scholarship Fund, University of Tampa, 401 W. Kennedy Blvd. Box I, Tampa, FL 33606. For further information, please contact University of Tampa head men's soccer coach Adrian Bush at 813-253-6240 ext. 3407 or 3184.
The Crew will face Kansas City in a scrimmage on Friday afternoon, before leaving Bradenton, Fla., for Phoenix on Saturday. While in Arizona, the Black & Gold will play a pair of exhibition matches at Grand Canyon University ? Sunday, Feb. 18, against FC Dallas and Wednesday, Feb. 21, against Mexican Primera A (second division) club Indios de Juarez. Kickoff for both games is 9 p.m. ET.
Columbus Crew vs. Real Salt Lake (Exhibition - Tom Fitzgerald Memorial Match)
Thursday, February 15, 2007 - University of South Florida Sun Dome
Scoring:
RSL - Atiba Harris, 14th minute
CLB - Duncan Oughton, 59th minute
CLB - Aaron Chandler, 64th minute
Crew lineup - Andy Gruenebaum (Jon Busch 45), Ryan Junge (Chris Leitch 60), Marcos Gonzalez (Chad Marshall 60), Brandon Moss (Leonard Griffin 60), Duncan Oughton (Ned Grabavoy 60), Danny O?Rourke (Jose Retiz 60), Ezra Hendrickson (Ivan Becerra 60), Joseph Ngwenya (Danny Szetela 60), Jacob Thomas (Marc Burch 24, Tonci Skroce 68), Eddie Gaven (Andy Herron 60), Kei Kamara (Aaron Chandler 60)
