COLUMBUS, Ohio --
The Crew will try to make it six straight wins - and three in a row away from Crew Stadium - when it travels to Canada this weekend to take on Toronto FC Saturday, May 17, at 4 p.m. ET at BMO Field, in the second leg of the inaugural Trillium Cup. Saturday's match features two teams battling for position in a crowded Eastern Conference, as the first-place Crew (6-1-0, 18 pts.) looks to defend its post atop the standings, while Toronto (3-2-1, 10 pts.) is tied for fifth place and seeking to improve its standing.
Announced by the two clubs prior to their season-opening match at Crew Stadium on March 29, the Trillium Cup, which refers to the official flower of the province of Ontario and official wildflower of the State of Ohio, will be awarded annually to the winner of the regular-season series between the regional rivals, based upon total standings points. If the teams are tied on total points, league tiebreaking procedures for playoff berths or positions will be used. The Crew won the first leg of the series, taking the season opener, 2-0, at Crew Stadium. The Black & Gold will make a second trip to Toronto later in the year, to face the Reds on Saturday, Sept., 13 at 3:30 p.m. ET in the final match of the season series.
Saturday's match, which kicks off at 4 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. The clubs will also square off in a Reserve Division match at BMO Field on Saturday following the first-team match, at approximately 6:30 p.m.
Toronto enters this week's match after enjoying a bye last weekend. In its last match, on May 1, TFC tied the New York Red Bulls, 1-1, at BMO Field thanks to a set piece goal by Marco Velez in the 22nd minute. Prior to its tie against New York, Toronto had reeled off three victories in a row for the first time in club history - against Los Angeles, Salt Lake and Kansas City - after losing its first two matches to Columbus and D.C., respectively, to start the season.
In the Crew's thrilling 3-2 victory over San Jose last Saturday (May 10), the Black & Gold trailed for only the second time this season, after a Ramiro Corrales goal in the 42nd minute for the 'Quakes. 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. For his efforts, Rogers was named MLS Player of the Week on Monday. Rookie midfielder Emmanuel Ekpo earned his first career MLS assist on Rogers' first goal and, after further review following the game, Brian Carroll was awarded a secondary assist on the goal. Alejandro Moreno and the league's leading assist man, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, assisted on the second and third goals, respectively.
Columbus endured a late score by the Earthquakes' Ryan Johnson in the 89th minute to make things tense in the late going, but the Crew was able to hold on for its fifth consecutive win, and second in a row away from Crew Stadium. The comeback effort was the first such victory for Columbus this season, as it had not trailed in any of its previous five wins.
COLUMBUS CREW at Toronto FC
Saturday, May 17 - 4 p.m. (ET) at BMO Field
National Television: N/A; Local Television: CSN
Crew Radio: News/Talk 610 WTVN (English); La Que Buena 1550-AM (Spanish)
Crew Webcasts: TheCrew.com and MLSNet.com (English)
CREW OFF TO BEST SEVEN-GAME START IN CLUB HISTORY
Thanks to its exciting 3-2 victory over San Jose on Saturday (May 10), the Crew now boasts a 6-1-0 record, and is off to the its best seven-game start in club history, distancing itself from the 1997, 1998 and 1999 squads that all started with a 5-2 records and featured current Crew assistant coaches Robert Warzycha and Mike Lapper. It is also the best seven-game start of head coach Sigi Schmid's MLS career.
CREW REELS OFF FIVE STRAIGHT WINS FOR ONLY THIRD TIME IN CLUB HISTORY, FIRST TIME SINCE 1998
With its victory on Saturday (May 10), the Crew has won five consecutive games for the first time since 1998, a feat that has now been accomplished just three times in club history. The Crew began its current streak in mid-April, with wins against Chivas USA, D.C. United and Houston, and has continued its stellar play in the month of May with victories over Kansas City and San Jose. The longest win streak ever by a Crew squad came in its inaugural season of 1996, when it ran off eight straight wins, with two of the victories coming via shootout.
CREW NOTCHES FIRST COMEBACK VICTORY IN MLS IN 2008
Before the Crew's 3-2 comeback victory over San Jose last Saturday (May 10), no team in MLS had earned a victory after allowing an opponent to score the first goal. Heading into last weekend's action, MLS teams were a combined 0-32-7 when allowing the opponent to score first. Following the Crew's achievement last weekend, MLS teams are now a combined 1-37-7 in games in which the opposition gets on the scoreboard first.
BRAD EVANS NOTCHES FIRST GOAL OF MLS CAREER, PROVES TO BE GAME-WINNER
Midfielder Brad Evans scored the first goal of his professional career last Saturday (May 10) in the Crew's 3-2 victory at San Jose. The goal, which proved to be the game-winner, came in the 83rd minute off Guillermo Barros Schelotto's fifth assist of the season. Evans, the Crew's first selection (No. 15 overall) in the 2007 MLS SuperDraft, out of UC-Irvine, was called into early duty in the match, as he replaced Stefani Miglioranzi in the 31st minute. Miglioranzi was forced to leave the game prematurely after sustaining a left quadriceps injury.
MORENO EXTENDS STREAK OF CONSECUTIVE GAMES WITH EITHER A GOAL OR ASSIST
With his assist on Robbie Rogers' go-ahead goal in the 81st minute, forward Alejandro Moreno extended his streak of consecutive games with either a goal or an assist to five. Moreno, who finished the 2007 season with seven assists, currently holds the longest active streak in MLS in that category.
EMMANUEL EKPO NOTCHES CRUCIAL ASSIST IN JUST HIS SECOND MLS APPEARANCE
Recently signed Nigerian Under-23 National Team midfielder Emmanuel Ekpo made his presence felt for the Crew in only his second MLS appearance last Saturday (May 10), as he assisted on Robbie Rogers' equalizing goal in the 73rd minute of the Crew's 3-2 victory. Ekpo had made his MLS debut the previous week (May 3) in the Crew's 1-0 victory over K.C., coming on as a substitute for Adam Moffat in the 54th minute. Ekpo signed with the Crew on April 15, after helping the Nigerian Under-23 squad successfully qualify for this Beijing Summer Olympics in March.
CREW SETS CLUB RECORD FOR MOST CORNER KICKS IN GAME, SCHELOTTO SETS NEW INDIVIDUAL MARK
The Crew had 18 corner kicks last Saturday (May 10), 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. The mark was just one shy of tying the all-time MLS single-game record of 19, which was set by New York on Aug. 14, 1999 against Kansas City. Midfielder Guillermo Barros Schelotto took all 18 corner kicks for the Crew, establishing a new MLS and Crew record for most corner kicks taken by a player in a single game. The previous Crew record holder was current Crew assistant coach Robert Warzycha, who had 11 corners on June 27, 1996 at New England.
SEVERAL CREW PLAYERS AMONG LEAGUE LEADERS IN OFFENSIVE STATISTICAL CATEGORIES
Several Crew players find themselves among the league leaders in offensive statistical categories early in the 2008 season.
Midfielder Robbie Rogers finds himself among the league's best in a plethora of categories, after his two-goal performance last Saturday (May 10). Rogers is currently tied for second in MLS in goals scored with five so far this season, and he sits alone in second place in the statistical rankings for shots (25), shots on goal (13) and multi-goal games (2). Rogers is also one of only three players (Chad Barrett - CHI, Kyle Beckerman - RSL) with two game-winning goals on the year. Forward Alejandro Moreno is third in goals scored this season, with four to his credit, and is also tied for third in assists (3) and fouls suffered (18). Midfielder Guillermo Barros Schelotto now leads the league in assists with five, thanks to his helper on Brad Evans' game-winning goal last Saturday. Schelotto also leads MLS in corner kicks taken, with 38, 18 of which came in last Saturday's match, and is second in fouls suffered, with 20 on the season.
CREW STADIUM SET TO HOST SECOND ANNUAL 'ROCK ON THE RANGE' MUSIC FESTIVAL THIS WEEKEND
Crew Stadium will once again be home to America's premier rock festival, ROCK ON THE RAGE, as it returns this weekend, Saturday, May 17, and Sunday, May 18, for its second year after a hugely successful inaugural sold-out show in 2007. Presented by Right Arm Entertainment, AEG LIVE, and the Columbus Crew, the multi-stage music and lifestyle event has expanded to two days in order to meet the tremendous demand for tickets. The line-up for this nationally renowned festival centrally located in the heart of the country includes the debut of the newly reunited Stone Temple Pilots, marking the group's first performance together in over seven years! This year's two-day event will feature 28 bands on two stages, an expanded festival village, state of the art main stage LED screens, enhanced main stage and second stage sound and light systems, dynamic new merchandise (t-shirts, hats, hoodies) and an expanded main-stage field area for fans who purchase Field General Admission tickets. Tickets are available at www.rockontherange.com and www.ticketmaster.com, all local Ticketmaster outlets and the Crew Stadium Box Office.
CREW TO FACE REAL SALT LAKE IN SECOND ROUND U.S. OPEN CUP QUALIFER TUESDAY, MAY 27
Real Salt Lake defeated the San Jose Earthquakes, 4-0, on April 30, in a first-round qualifying match for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Salt Lake will now advance to the next stage of qualifying and will travel to Columbus Tuesday, May 27, to face the Crew at Crew Stadium in a second round U.S. Open Cup qualifying match at 7:30 p.m. ET. Tickets are on sale now at all central Ohio Ticketmaster outlets and the Crew Stadium Box Box Office and on-line at TheCrew.com com and ticketmaster.com. 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 U.S. Open Cup is entering its 94th tournament. The Crew won the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Championship in 2002.
CREW SOCCER ACADEMY SQUADS RESUME PLAY THIS WEEKEND
The Crew Soccer Academy squads resumed play last weekend, May 10 & 11, as they each played host to a pair of matches at the Crew Training Center at Obetz. On Saturday (May 10), both squads faced North Meck, with the Under-16s playing first and securing a 3-0 victory thanks to goals by Andy Lubahn, Ebby Perez and Vaughn Spurrier. The Under-18s took the field next and earned a big win of their own, defeating North Meck, 4-0, with goals from Ben Speas, Matt Bonfini, John Wargo and Thomas Schmitt. The next morning, May 11, both squads matched up against South Charlotte SA, with the U-16s again getting things started off early with its second consecutive 3-0 victory, thanks to goals by Lubahn, Sukhoon Ahn and Victor Garzo. In the Under-18 match-up that followed, CSA used a lone goal by Schmitt to defeat South Charlotte 1-0, giving both CSA squads an undefeated weekend. CSA squads will face a tough test this weekend as they will host two clubs - Vardar and Michigan Wolves - that each is battling for position in the Great Lakes Conference standings. On Saturday, May 17, Vardar will the opponent for each CSA team, with the U-16s kicking off at 1 p.m. and the U-18s following shortly after at 3 p.m. Michigan Wolves will provide the opposition on Sunday morning, May 18, with the U-16s again playing first at 10 a.m. and the U-18s following at 12 noon. All four matches will be held at the Crew Training Center at Obetz.
WORTHINGTON YOUTH BOOSTERS' CREW SOCCER ROCKS CLINIC AT CREW STADIUM TUESDAY
The Columbus Crew continues its schedule of Crew Soccer Rocks soccer clinics in 2008 as it hosts the Worthington Youth Boosters at Crew Stadium today (May 13) at 6 p.m. Players from the Worthington Youth Boosters will participate in a one-hour session with select Crew players involving skill training games and technical demonstrations. Each Worthington player will receive direct, small-group instruction on soccer-specific skills like dribbling, passing and shooting as well as tips on game strategy and physical fitness. Additionally, Worthington youth coaches will participate in a 30-minute session on coaching techniques and training regimens. Following the session, Crew players and coaches will also be available to sign autographs and take photographs with participants.
HESMER, O'ROURKE SCHEDULED TO VISIT WORTHINGTON ESTATES ELEMENTARY WEDNESDAY, MAY 14
Crew goalkeeper William Hesmer and defender Danny O'Rourke are scheduled to visit Worthington Estates Elementary School (6760 Rieber St., Worthington, OH 43085) Wednesday, May 14, from 2-3 p.m. as part of the Crew's school assembly program. The players will speak to the students about teamwork, perseverance, staying in school and being a good sport, and will also perform a brief ball skills demonstration. O'Rourke is a native of Worthington and a graduate of Worthington Kilbourne High School.
