COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Crew returns to action at home this Sunday, June 10, against the defending MLS Cup-champion Houston Dynamo at Crew Stadium. Columbus (1-3-5, 8 pts.) is coming off a 3-2 setback at Chicago on Sunday, while Houston (3-5-1, 10 pts.) topped FC Dallas, 2-1, earlier that afternoon.
Sunday's match, which kicks off at 5 p.m., will be televised live locally on CSN, with Dwight Burgess and Dante Washington calling all the action, Katie Witham reporting from the sidelines and Dionne Miller hosting the 30-minute pregame show. The game can be heard live in English on The Brew @ 105.7 and on-line on TheCrew.com and MLSNet.com, with Neil Sika and John Bluem behind the microphone, as well as in Spanish on Radio Sol WXOL 1550-AM, with Marcelo Carrera, Eduardo "Eddie" Carvacho and Benny Pietrangelo on the call.
The Crew and Dynamo meet for the first of two times this season and for the only time at Crew Stadium. It will also mark the first time the clubs have met since they swapped forwards Alejandro Moreno and Joseph Ngwenya on May 9. Columbus played the eventual MLS Cup champs to a pair of 1-1 draws last season.
In Sunday's game at Chicago, Duncan Oughton scored the Crew's first goal, his first since Oct. 16, 2004, and assisted on the second, scored by Chad Marshall in his season debut after missing the first eight games with a concussion, while Robbie Rogers made his first career MLS start.
COLUMBUS CREW vs. Houston Dynamo
Sunday, June 10 - 5 p.m. at Crew Stadium
National Television: N/A; Local Television: CSN
Crew Radio: The Brew @ 105.7 (English); Radio Sol WXOL 1550-AM (Spanish)
Crew Webcasts: TheCrew.com and MLSNet.com (English)
HEJDUK DEPARTS FOR GOLD CUP WITH U.S. NATIONAL TEAM
Crew defender Frankie Hejduk left the Crew after Sunday's game to join the U.S. Men's National Team squad that will seek to defend its CONCACAF Gold Cup title in the 2007 edition of the tournament that takes place from starting tonight, through June 24, in six cities across the U.S. The Gold Cup is the championship of the Confederation of North and Central American and Caribbean nations (CONCACAF). The U.S. kicks off action on Thursday, June 7, vs. Guatemala at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT, and will also play its second group match there on Saturday, June 9, vs. Trinidad & Tobago at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT. The group stage will end for the U.S. on June 12 vs. El Salvador at 7 p.m. ET after a cross country trip to Foxborough, Mass. The call-up is significant, as it is Hejduk's first since suffering a season-ending ACL tear last April that was diagnosed a day after he was named to the 2006 U.S. World Cup squad, which ended his quest to play in three successive World Cups. One of the most recognizable and dynamic players in Major League Soccer and a longtime U.S. National Team standout, Hejduk has earned 72 caps (appearances) for the red, white and blue. He has the distinction of being the only U.S. National Team player to see action in both the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups and the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games.
ADVENTURES FOR WISH KIDS FAMILIES RETURN TO CREW STADIUM SUNDAY
The Crew will welcome nearly 500 Adventures for Wish Kids family members from the Columbus, Dayton and Cincinnati Chapters to Crew Stadium on Sunday, June 10, for an Adventure that will include a meal subsidized by concessionaire Sodexho, parking pass provided by Standard Parking, and admission ticket provided by the Crew. Other highlights will include a magician, face painter, balloon artist and the chance to meet Crew Cat. It marks the sixth straight year that the Crew is helping AFWK create lasting memories for children and adolescents with life threatening illnesses and their families with a game-day Adventure.
OUGHTON SPEAKS AT LIBERTY ELEMENTARY GRADUATION
Crew midfielder Duncan Oughton was a featured speaker at Liberty Elementary School's graduation ceremony Tuesday. Oughton stressed the importance of self-confidence and effort to the graduating 6th graders at the Worthington City School located at 8081 Saddle Run in Powell. Former Crew player Rob Smith is a physical education teacher at Liberty.
MORENO VISITS WHITE HOUSE WITH FORMER HOUSTON TEAMMATES
The defending MLS Cup-champion Houston Dynamo spent part of last Tuesday (May 29) at the White House - and they had an old friend with them. Crew forward Alejandro Moreno, a member of the 2006 championship squad, was invited to join his former teammates when they toured the White House and met President George W. Bush. Moreno came to Columbus from Houston on May 9, in trade that sent Joseph Ngwenya to the Dynamo.
TOP NHL DRAFT PROSPECTS TO ATTEND JUNE 20 CREW GAME
In conjunction with the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, which is being held in Columbus from June 22-23, the top prospects in the draft will attend the Crew's game vs. the Kansas City Wizards at Crew Stadium on Wednesday, June 20. They will sign autographs pregame on the Crew Kicker Plaza from 6:30-7:30 p.m. and Blue Jackets goaltender and Pascal Leclaire will toss the coin prior to the game. Blue Jackets mascot Stinger will also be on hand, along with the Blue Jackets' Breakaway Tour inflatables and border patrol rink for street hockey games.
CREW JUNIORS TRYOUTS CONTINUE THROUGH THURSDAY
Tryouts for the Crew's youth development club, Crew Juniors, for boys and girls in 11 age groups, will continue through Thursday, June 7. Crew coaches, players and staff are preparing for year two of their quest to build the finest player development system in Major League Soccer. Crew Juniors players have the opportunity to learn from one of the most respected coaching staffs in the country, wear the Black & Gold, join the MLS Player Development Pool and enjoy access to world-class facilities - Crew Stadium and the Crew Training Center at Obetz. Already this spring, two Crew Juniors teams, the Under-11 boys and U-13 boys, advanced to the State Cup semifinals, with the U-19 tournament still to be played.
CREW'S U.S. SOCCER FOUNDATION PASSBACK NIGHT IS SATURDAY, JUNE 30
The U.S. Soccer Foundation, in partnership with the Crew, MLS and Eurosport, will be collecting new and gently used soccer equipment at Crew Stadium on June 30 through its Passback program. The equipment collected will then be distributed within our community, to the Kids Inner-City Development Soccer (K.I.D.S.) League, so that others may enjoy the wonderful sport of soccer. Eurosport will be awarding a $200 gift certificate to the team or individual donating the most equipment and fans are encouraged to gather up those jerseys, shin guards, shoes, socks and soccer balls and bring them to the Crew's 8 p.m. game vs. the New York Red Bulls that night to "Share the equipment. Share the Game!" Crew defender Jed Zayner serves as the local Passback spokesperson.
DON'T MISS 'CREW CORNER' THURSDAYS AT 6 and 6:30 p.m. ON CSN
The Columbus Sports Network (CSN) produces and airs a weekly magazine show dedicated solely to the Crew, called 'Crew Corner.' Hosted by Dionne Miller, the 30-minute program is refreshed each week with compelling content that is unique and dynamic, including "behind the scenes" perspectives and profiles about players, coaches and team officials; glimpses into the teams' participation in a variety of community and charitable activities; and game and league highlights. Each episode of 'Crew Corner' will air first on Thursdays at 6 p.m., and be replayed immediately afterward at 6:30 p.m. In addition, every show will be replayed repeatedly at different times throughout the following seven days to make it conveniently available to fans.
CREW TRAINING AND GAME SCHEDULE
(Media availability at the conclusion of training; All times listed Eastern Time)
Wed., 6/6 10 a.m. training at Obetz
Thu., 6/7 10 a.m. training at Obetz
Fri., 6/8 10 a.m. training at Obetz
Sat., 6/9 10 a.m. training at Obetz
Sun., 6/10 5 p.m. game vs. Houston Dynamo (CSN)
