The U.S. Under-23 Men's National Team dueled its Chinese counterparts to a spirited 0-0 draw Thursday at the Changsha He Long Sports Center in the first of two meeting between the sides. More than 30,000 boisterous fans witnessed a lively contest that saw both teams hit the woodwork and create several scoring chances in the first match for the U.S. under head coach Peter Nowak.
Both Crew players on the tour saw action in the match, with midfielder Robbie Rogers entering in the 72nd minute and defender Tim Ward coming on in the 88th. Their teammate, Eddie Gaven, was also originally scheduled to make the trip, but did not due to personal reasons.
Goalkeeper Chris Seitz made several key saves throughout the contest on a crisp evening in Changsha, while both teams enjoyed periods of momentum in the fast-paced encounter. The Chinese team, already holding a place in the 2008 Olympic tournament as hosts, fielded a full-strength side that included three overage players.
The U-23s will conclude their two-match tour Sunday afternoon when they face China in Guangzhou, at the Yue Xiu Shan Stadium. The squad will then go on hiatus for the holidays before regrouping at the IMG Academy for a two-week training camp from Jan. 6-20 in Bradenton, Fla.
SCHMID WEB CHAT TRANSCRIPT AVAILABLE AT TheCrew.com
Crew Head Coach Sigi Schmid took questions from fans Thursday afternoon in a live Web Chat at TheCrew.com. See what he had to say here: http://www.mlsnet.com/t102/fans/chat/2007/schmid/.
CREW WISHES OHIO STATE SOCCER BUCKEYES LUCK AT 2007 NCAA MEN'S COLLEGE CUP
The Crew wishes the Ohio State University men's soccer team the best of luck at this weekend's 2007 NCAA Men's College Cup in Cary, N.C. The 16-3-5 Buckeyes are coached by John Bluem, who also serves as color commentator on Crew home radio broadcasts, as well as Director of Continuing Education for the Crew Juniors youth development club. Other Crew connections on Ohio State's roster include freshman midfielder Konrad Warzycha, the son Crew assistant coach Robert Warzycha, and senior midfielder Steven Traeger, the brother of former Crew midfielder Jake Traeger (2003-04). Ohio State faces Massachusetts in one national semifinal tonight at 7 p.m., after Wake Forest and Virginia Tech do battle in the first. The winners will meet Sunday at 3 p.m. to decide the national title. The NCAA Men's College Cup was held at Crew Stadium in both 2001 and 2003.
WARD AND ZAYNER SPEND 10 DAYS IN SPAIN WITH 'GENERATION ADIDAS,' FACE REAL MADRID RESERVES
Crew defenders Tim Ward and Jed Zayner were among 16 MLS 'Generation adidas' players who spent 10 days in Spain from Nov. 23-Dec. 3. The group played a pair of games, a 1-0 victory over the the Rayo Vallecano reserves at the Ciudad de Futbol Stadium on Nov. 27, and a 0-0 tie vs. the Real Madrid Reserves at the Training Center at Valdebebas in Madrid on Nov. 29. Ward went the full 90 minutes vs. Vallecano and played the second half vs. Real Madrid, while Zayner went 65 minutes vs. Vallecano and the full 90 vs. Real, which was the Spanish giants' full reserve team that plays in the Spanish second division. Ward, 20, is coming off his third professional season, one with New York and two with the Crew. He has appeared in 30 MLS games and was a member of the U.S. team at the 2007 FIFA Under-20 World Cup. Zayner, who turned 23 yesterday, appeared in two games in 2007, after sitting out his entire rookie season of 2006 with a torn knee ligament. Generation adidas, which was established ahead of the 2005 MLS season, is Major League Soccer's youth player development program designed to identify and nurture the elite youth soccer talent in the United States. The youth players who join MLS as part of the Generation adidas program receive unprecedented opportunities to develop their game and hone their skills at the professional level in Major League Soccer. In addition to training and playing on a weekly basis with one of Major League Soccer's 14 professional clubs, Generation adidas players also receive educational grants to further their college education.
CREW TO HOLD OPEN TRYOUTS AT PREMIER SOCCER ACADEMIES CAMPUS IN LORAIN JAN. 25-26
The Crew will host a tryout for the 2008 season at Brad Friedel's Premier Soccer Academies campus in Lorain, Ohio, on Friday, Jan. 25, and Saturday, Jan. 26. Please note that the tryout originally scheduled for Dec. 8-9 in Sacramento, Calif., has been cancelled. The tryouts will be open to all players regardless of age, with the lone exception being that college players with any eligibility remaining are not allowed to participate due to NCAA rules and regulations. Participants need to arrive at PSA by 8 a.m. on Friday, Jan. 25, for registration and orientation. Players should plan on being there through 5 p.m. on the 25th. Training will begin at 7:30 a.m. on Saturday the 26th and conclude at 4 p.m. Players should plan on attending both days in order to have the coaching staff properly evaluate their skills. It is recommended that players bring both types of cleats (indoor and molded). There will be a fee of $100 that must be paid two weeks prior to the tryout. Individuals are responsible for their own food, accommodations and transportation. Potential prospects can visit www.TheCrew.com to register for either of the two tryout locations and for more details.
CREW OPERATING KIOSK AT POLARIS FASHION PLACE THROUGH HOLIDAYS
A Crew kiosk will be open now through the holidays next to the Food Hall in Polaris Fashion Place. From Crew merchandise to the Holiday Pack, it will have something for every Crew fan. The kiosk is open Monday-Thursday from 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m.-9:30 p.m. and Sunday from Noon-6 p.m.
