COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Crew returns to action Sunday (June 3) at Chicago against the Eastern Conference-rival Fire at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill. Columbus (1-2-5, 8 pts.) is coming off a 2-2 tie at home against Toronto FC on May 26, while Chicago (3-4-2, 11 pts.) and Real Salt Lake played to a scoreless draw on Sunday (May 27).
Sunday's match, which kicks off at 7 p.m. (ET), will be televised live locally on ONN, with Dwight Burgess and Bill McDermott calling all the action and Katie Witham reporting from the sidelines. The game can be heard live in English on The Brew @ 105.7 and on-line on TheCrew.com and MLSnet.com, as well as in Spanish on Radio Sol WXOL 1550-AM.
The game will be a homecoming of sorts for Crew forward Andy Herron, who returned to the lineup in Saturday's game vs. Toronto and scored both Crew goals in the first half. They were his first two goals of the season and first two in Black & Gold since being acquired from Chicago in a draft-day deal in January.
COLUMBUS CREW at Chicago Fire
Sunday, June 3 - 7 p.m. (ET) at Toyota Park
National Television: N/A; Local Television: ONN
Crew Radio: The Brew @ 105.7 (English); Radio Sol WXOL 1550-AM (Spanish)
Crew Webcasts: TheCrew.com and MLSnet.com (English)
CREW TRAVELS TO DETROIT AREA WEDNESDAY FOR EXHIBITION VS. MICHIGAN BUCKS OF PDL
Before returning to league action, the Crew will travel to Hurley Field in Berkley, Mich. (metro Detroit), on Wednesday (May 30) to take on the Michigan Bucks of the United Soccer Leagues Premier Development League in an exhibition match at 7:30 p.m. It marks the second straight year that the Crew has traveled to Michigan to play the Bucks in the second year of a working relationship between the two clubs. In fact, Columbus faced the eventual PDL-champion Bucks twice last year, winning both by identical 4-1 scores - a May 25 exhibition and a U.S. Open Cup match on July 12.
OUGHTON GOES FULL 90 MINUTES, TALLIES ASSIST IN NEW ZEALAND'S 2-2 TIE AT WALES SATURDAY
Duncan Oughton went the full 90 minutes and assisted on the first goal in New Zealand's impressive 2-2 draw at Wales Saturday (May 26) in an international friendly. The national team call-up and performance marked another significant milestone in his remarkable comeback from serious knee injuries and experimental surgery. Oughton was a regular for New Zealand from his July 5, 2002 debut through his initial injury in 2004. A second planned friendly, which was to have sent the All Whites to Ukraine on June 6, has been cancelled.
HEJDUK NAMED TO U.S. GOLD CUP SQUAD
Crew defender Frankie Hejduk has been named to U.S. Men's National Team head coach Bob Bradley's 23-man roster that will seek to defend its CONCACAF Gold Cup title in the 2007 edition of the tournament that takes place from June 6-24 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 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. The U.S. kicks off action on 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.
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CREW JUNIORS TRYOUTS CONTINUE INTO NEXT WEEK
Tryouts for the Crew's youth development club, Crew Juniors, for boys and girls in 11 age groups, which began last week, 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 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., 5/30 10 a.m. training at Obetz
Wed., 5/30 7:30 p.m. exhibition at Michigan Bucks (USL PDL)
Thu., 5/31 11 a.m. training at Obetz
Fri., 6/1 10 a.m. training at Obetz
Sat., 6/2 1 p.m. training at Obetz
Sun., 6/3 7 p.m. at Chicago Fire (ONN)
Mon., 6/4 11 a.m. Crew Reserves at Fire Reserves
