The Crew travels to BMO Field in Toronto on Saturday (Oct. 16) to face Toronto FC in the final leg of the 2010 Trillium Cup as well as its final away game of the regular season. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m. and the Black & Gold looks to regain possession of first place in the Eastern Conference. The New York Red Bulls, who play at Philadelphia on Saturday, currently lead the conference by two points.
Saturday’s match will be televised live regionally on ONN-TV, with Dwight Burgess and Dante Washington calling all the action. It can also be heard in English on The Brew @ 105.7 FM (please note change), with Neil Sika behind the microphone, as well as in Spanish on La Mega 103.1-FM, featuring Carlos Cordova and Benny Pietrangelo on the call.
The Crew looks to clinch its third consecutive Trillium Cup, which refers to the official flower of the province of Ontario and official wildflower of the State of Ohio, and is awarded annually to the winner of the season series between the geographic rivals. The Crew – which won the competition in its first two seasons in 2008 and 2009 – is unbeaten against Toronto FC since the club’s inception in 2007, compiling a record of 5-0-5 in 10 games against the Reds (1-0-3 at BMO Field). Columbus won the first game of the season series, 2-0 at Crew Stadium on March 27 in First Kick 2010. Andy Iro and Guillermo Barros Schelotto scored the goals that give the Black & Gold a two-goal advantage going into Saturday’s match.
This year, Toronto FC sits in fifth place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 8-13-7 (31 pts.) and is officially out of playoff contention. Its most recent match was a 3-0 loss at Chivas USA on Saturday (Oct. 9). Canadian International and perennial MLS Best XI forward Dwayne de Rosario leads the team offensively, with 13 goals.
The Crew is coming off a 2-0 loss at the hands of the Chicago Fire at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill. last Friday (Oct. 8). Midfielder Robbie Rogers made his first start since being sidelined by knee surgery in August and played the full 90 minutes.
COLUMBUS CREW at TORONTO FC
Saturday, Oct 16 – 4 p.m. – BMO Field, Toronto, Ontario
Regional Television: ONN-TV
English Radio: The Brew @ 105.7 FM (please note change); Spanish Radio: La Mega 103.1
GUILLERMO BARROS SCHELOTTO PLAYS 100th MLS REGULAR SEASON MATCH
Last Friday’s match against the Chicago Fire was Guillermo Barros Schelotto’s 100th in MLS regular-season play. After a stellar career at Boca Juniors in Argentina, Schelotto was signed by the Crew on April 19, 2007 and has proceeded to become one of the most beloved players in club history. The 2008 MLS Most Valuable Player and MLS Cup MVP has logged a total of 8,012 minutes in the 100 matches he played, while tallying 32 goals and 41 assists.
SHAUN FRANCIS MAKES INTERNATIONAL DEBUT WITH JAMAICA, EARNS PRAISE
Crew defender Shaun Francis earned his first cap for the Jamaican National Team on Sunday, Oct. 10, in a friendly match against Trinidad and Tobago. Francis earned praise from local newspapers and initiated the play that would result in a penalty kick for Jamaica and the 1-0 win over Trinidad.
EMILIO RENTERIA EARNS TWO MORE INTERNATIONAL CAPS WITH VENEZUELA
Crew forward Emilio Renteria flew to Santa Cruz, Bolivia, from Seattle following last week’s U.S. Open Cup Final to join the Venezuelan National Team for a friendly match. Renteria played 10 minutes in the 3-1 victory over Bolivia. The Crew forward stayed with his national team as they traveled to Juarez for an exhibition against Mexico on Tuesday, Oct. 12. Renteria again came on as a substitute and played 22 minutes in the 2-2 draw.
CREW STADIUM TO HOST COLUMBUS PUBLIC SCHOOLS CITY LEAGUE BOYS SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP
Crew Stadium will host the 2010 Columbus Public Schools Boys City League soccer championship this Thursday (Oct. 14) at 6 p.m. Thursday night’s match-up will feature the West High School Cowboys against the Stars of Centennial High School. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m., with tickets priced at $4 if purchased in advance from the participating schools and $6 if purchased at the gate.
CREW STADIUM TO HOST DESALES-WATTERSON HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL MATCH-UP ON FRIDAY
Crew Stadium will play host to a marquee high school football match-up between two of central Ohio’s top programs, arch-rivals St. Francis DeSales and Bishop Watterson, this Friday, Oct. 15. Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. and the game will be televised later that evening by ONN-TV on a tape-delayed basis starting at 10 p.m. All tickets are General Admission, priced at $5 for students and $8 for adults. They will be available for purchase from the two participating schools leading up to the game, as well as the Crew Stadium Box Office and Ticketmaster.com..
CREW SECOND IN CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE GROUP WITH ONE GAME TO PLAY
Following its 2-1 setback at Municipal on Sept. 29 in CONCACAF Champions League play, the Crew now sits second in Group B with a 3-2-0 record and nine points. Mexico’s Santos Laguna, which defeated Joe Public (Trinidad) 5-1 on Wednesday, leads the group with 10 points (3-1-1). Municipal climbed to eight points, but will have to travel to Mexico to face Santos in its final match on Oct. 19. Columbus will travel to face already eliminated Joe Public on Oct. 21. The top two teams in the four-team group will advance to the quarterfinals next spring. Former LA Galaxy forward Guillermo “Pando” Ramirez netted both goals for Municipal Wednesday at Estadio Mateo Flores, while Andy Iro accounted for the Crew’s lone tally. Day-long heavy rain continued through the match leaving the field with standing water in several places. Players struggled with footing and balls skipped in some spots and came to a halt in others.
‘SOCCER AID VIII’ AUCTIONS CONTINUE ON-LINE
Soccer Aid VIII auctions of unique and rare Crew jerseys continue online HERE. Soccer Aid is a unique, fund-raising program of the Crew Soccer Foundation that capitalizes on soccer fans’ passion for the sport to raise money for charity through the non-profit arm of Major League Soccer’s Columbus Crew, including its primary beneficiary, the Mid-Ohio Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF). Through its first seven years, Soccer Aid has raised more than $35,000 for JDRF. This year the jerseys reflect a historic theme, in celebration of the club’s 15th anniversary season. The overlapping auctions, which will continue into next week, can also be accessed through CrewSoccerFoundation.org and TheCrew.com.
PLAYOFF PACKAGES ARE ON SALE NOW
The Crew clinched its third consecutive playoff berth last Saturday, Oct. 2, and two-game playoff ticket packages are on sale now. Each package includes both of the Crew’s potential playoff games – the one guaranteed game in the first round and the Eastern Conference Championship it could host if it advances out of the first round – along with a commemorative scarf. Prices range from $40-$76 for adults and $30-$76 for students, and they are available to the general public at the Crew Stadium Box Office and all central Ohio Ticketmaster retail locations, via Ticketmaster phone at 800-745-3000 and on-line at TheCrew.com and Ticketmaster.com. The design of this year’s scarf was selected through fan voting at CrewPlayoffs.com.
HESMER ON CREWXTRA THIS WEDNESDAY AT 8 AND 11 P.M. ON ONN-TV
This week on CrewXtra, the Crew’s weekly show on ONN-TV, host Beau Bishop will be joined by goalkeeper William Hesmer, radio man Neil Sika and Dispatch beat writer Shawn Mitchell at 8 and 11 p.m. CrewXtra is broadcast every Wednesday and provides viewers with in-depth coverage and access to the team every week, including game recaps, breakdowns and previews of the upcoming matches, while interspersing other news, interviews, discussion and features.
