The Columbus Crew will experience another busy week as it again competes in mid-week U.S. Open Cup qualifying on Tuesday (June 10), before traveling for an MLS league match on Saturday (June 14). The week of matches begins tonight when the Crew travels to Peoria, Ill. to take on the Chicago Fire at 8 p.m. (ET) at Shea Stadium on the campus of Bradley University. The club will then return to Columbus briefly before departing for Kansas City, where it will take on the Wizards at CommunityAmerica Ballpark Saturday at 8 p.m. (ET).
The Crew will be attempting to advance in the 2008 U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 tonight and MLS Match Tracker will be available at TheCrew.com. A live video stream will also be available at www.BradleyBraves.com for $5.95. Jeremiah Ingram, Missouri Valley Conference Assistant Commissioner for Communications, will provide the play-by-play call of the game. (Registration info here.)
Due to schedule congestion, U.S. Open Cup Qualifying was adjusted prior to last season, marking the first time since 2002 - when the Crew won the tournament - that all eligible MLS teams did not participate in the U.S. Open Cup tournament proper, although each team still has the opportunity to qualify for the tournament. 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 tournament is in its 94th year.
The Black & Gold then returns to league action Saturday, when it will take on the Kansas City Wizards at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. The match features a Crew squad (6-4-1, 19, pts.) that is tied for second in the Eastern Conference against a 3-4-3 Wizards squad (12 pts.) that has spent its last six games on the road. Saturday's match will be the Wizards' first at home since April 12. Kansas City welcomes the Crew to town after notching a scoreless draw at Real Salt Lake last Saturday (June 7) in the final game of the six-game road trip.
Saturday's match kicks off at 8 p.m. and can 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. Local television details will be released at a later date.
The Crew is coming off a 2-0 setback to San Jose at Crew Stadium Saturday (June 7). Ryan Johnson headed home a Ronnie O'Brien cross in the first half and Ramiro Corrales headed home an O'Brien free kick sent in from the corner after the break to give the 'Quakes just their third victory ever in Columbus in 14 trips. The Crew's started the game without one of it's regular central defenders, Danny O'Rourke, who was serving a one-game, red-card suspension, then lost both his regular partner, Chad Marshall, and replacement, Ezra Hendrickson, to first-half injuries. Brad Evans received a red card in the second half of last weekend's match and will miss this Saturday's match at Kansas City with a mandatory one-game suspension.
COLUMBUS CREW at Chicago Fire
Tuesday, June 10 - 8:00 p.m. at Shea Stadium (Bradley University, Peoria, Ill.)
National Television: N/A; Local Television: N/A; Crew Radio: N/A
Video Webcast: www.BradleyBraves.com (English)
COLUMBUS CREW at Kansas City Wizards
Saturday, June 14 - 8:00 p.m. at CommunityAmerica Ballpark
National Television: DirectKick package; Local Television: TBA
Crew Radio: News/Talk 610 WTVN (English); La Que Buena 1550-AM (Spanish)
Crew Webcasts: TheCrew.com and MLSNet.com (English)
HEJDUK PLAYS IN 150th GAME OF HIS MLS CAREER AND 100th FOR CREW
Crew defender Frankie Hejduk simultaneously reached a pair of milestones with his appearance in Saturday's (June 7) game vs. San Jose. After playing in 50 games for the Tampa Bay Mutiny from 1996-98, the five-time All-Star has now appeared in 100 for the Crew, giving him 150 for his MLS career. The veteran defender has played every minute of every game for the Crew so far this season.
HEJDUK'S FREQUENT FLYER MILES ADDING UP
Crew defender Frankie Hejduk continues to rack up the frequent flyer miles, having crisscrossed the Atlantic Ocean and continents of North America and Europe over the last two weeks. His travels started on May 25 with a flight to England the day after playing 90 minutes in the Crew's match vs. New England in Columbus. On May 28, he played 45 minutes in the U.S. National Team's 2-0 loss to England at London's famed Wembley Stadium. Hejduk then flew to L.A. in time to go the full 90 minutes for the Crew against Chivas USA on May 31. From here, he hopped a flight to Spain to rejoin the U.S. National team for its friendly vs. Spain in Santander on June 4, in which he played 45 minutes. Upon his return to Columbus, he played the full 90 minutes in the Crew's game vs. San Jose on June 7, then flew out the next morning for New York, where, incredibly, he entered the U.S.-Argentina match in second-half stoppage time. The three international caps (appearances) in 12 days run Hejduk's career total to 78.
CREW PLAYERS AMONG LEAGUE STATISTICAL LEADERS
Several Crew players find themselves among the league statistical leaders so far in the 2008 season. Midfielder Robbie Rogers finds himself among the league's best in several categories, as he is currently tied for third in MLS in goals scored (5) and shots (30). Rogers is also second in MLS in multi-goal games (2) and he is one of 11 players with two game-winning goals on the year. Guillermo Barros Schelotto, too, has had a prolific start to the 2008 season, as he leads the league in corner kicks (57) by a wide margin and is tied for fourth in assists (5), one behind the leaders. Along Goalkeeper William Hesmer is fifth in goals-against average (1.27) and tied for third in save percentage (72.7%).
CREW FEATURES HALF OF THE LEAGUE'S EIGHT MOST-FOULED PLAYERS
The Crew's roster features four of the eight most-fouled players in the league - Alejandro Moreno, who has led the league in the category for the last three years, is second with 31, Gulillermo Barros Schelotto is third (30) and Eddie Gaven and Robbie Rogers are tied for seventh (23).
EKPO AND VERSATILE ZAYNER MAKE FIRST MLS STARTS JUNE 7
Rookie Nigerian midfielder Emmanuel Ekpo and defender Jed Zayner got the first starting assignments of their MLS careers on Saturday (June 7). Ekpo went the first 73 minutes, while Zayner played the full 90 - at three different positions along the back line. Zayner started at left back, but moved inside to center back, when Ryan Junge came on for the injured Ezra Hendrickson in the 44th minute. Zayner then moved to right back when the Crew switched its formation from four in the back to three in the second half. In the 35th minute, while at left back, Zayner uncorked a sizzling, left-footed 30-yard volley that caromed off the crossbar, nearly tying the score at 1-1. It was Ekpo's fifth league appearance overall since being signed early this season and the fourth of Zayner's injury-plagued three-year career.
CREW'S U.S. SOCCER FOUNDATION PASSBACK PROGRAM CONTINUES ON JUNE 28
As it did on June 7, the U.S. Soccer Foundation, in partnership with the Crew and Major League Soccer, will again be collecting new and gently used soccer equipment at Crew Stadium through its Passback program on June 28. The equipment collected will then be distributed within our community, to the Kids Inner-City Development Soccer (K.I.D.S.) League and the Near-East Side Inner-City Youth Soccer Program, so that others may enjoy the wonderful sport of soccer. Fans are encouraged to gather up those jerseys, shin guards, shoes, socks and soccer balls and bring them to the Crew's home matches in June to "Share the equipment. Share the Game!" Crew defender Jed Zayner serves as the local Passback spokesperson.
CREW SOCCER ACADEMY SQUADS ENJOY ANOTHER UNBEATEN WEEKEND
The Crew Soccer Academy squads continued their seasons on Sunday (June 8) at home with impressive victories over the Virginia Rush. The U-16s, now 15-2-7 on the season, defeated Virginia, 7-0, behind a Will Phiri hat trick and two goals and two assists from Ebby Perz. Victor Garza added a goal and two assists and Andy Lubahn a goal. Andrian McAdams made four saves in earning the shutout. The U-18s, now 16-4-3, topped Virginia, 2-0, behind goals from Lucas Eichorn and Joey Haght and a four-save shutout from goalkeeper Matt Lampson. CSA returns to action on Saturday with games at Carmel United in Indiana. The U-16s kick off at 11 a.m. and U-18s at 1 p.m.
CREW TRAINING AND GAME SCHEDULE
(Media availability at the conclusion of training; All times listed Eastern Time)
Tue., 6/10 U.S. Open Cup game vs. Chicago Fire at Shea Stadium in Peoria, 8 p.m. (ET)
Wed., 6/11 Return from Peoria
Thur., 6/12 Training at Obetz, 11 a.m.
Fri., 6/13 Training at Obetz, 10 a.m.; Depart for Kansas City p.m.
Sat., 6/14 Game at Kansas City Wizards, CommunityAmerica Ballpark, 8 p.m.
Sun., 6/15 Crew Reserves at K.C. Reserves, 11 a.m. (ET); Return from Kansas City p.m.
Mon., 6/16 OFF
