In conjunction with Major League Soccer, Columbus Crew SC today announced that Homegrown Players Matt Lampson and Ben Swanson have been selected by U.S. National Team great and MLS Homegrown Team coach Landon Donovan to the roster for the 2015 Chipotle MLS Homegrown Game. The match pits the MLS Homegrown Team against the Club America Under-20 side from Mexico, and is set to take place on Tuesday, July 28 at 9:00 p.m. ET (streamed live on MLSsoccer.com) at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado as part of 2015 AT&T MLS All-Star Game festivities.
Crew SC becomes one of 10 clubs represented in the Chipotle MLS Homegrown Game for the second-straight season after Lampson and Wil Trapp were named to last year's inaugural version of the contest at Providence Park in Portland. The Black & Gold also join the Colorado Rapids as the only two MLS clubs to have multiple representatives both this season and last season.
Lampson, 25, is set to represent Crew SC at the Chipotle MLS Homegrown Game for the second time after starting last season's match against the Portland Timbers U-23s, keeping the side off the scoreboard for the opening 45 minutes. He is one of five players making their second appearance in the Chipotle MLS Homegrown Game.
Originally signed by the Black & Gold as a Homegrown Player on December 15, 2011, Lampson has made 16 career appearances for Columbus (14 starts). Over that span, the former Ohio State Buckeye has made 50 saves with five clean sheets, a 1.44 goals-against average and a record of 9-6-0. He is currently on loan with the Charlotte Independence of the USL where he has made three appearances (three starts) with 13 saves and a 1.00 goals-against average. He previously joined USL's Pittsburgh on loan for one match earlier this season, on June 13.
Swanson, 18, is slated to make his debut appearance in the Chipotle MLS Homegrown Game. A rookie this season, he was signed by Columbus as a Homegrown Player on October 16, 2014. As Crew SC Player Development's longest-tenured player, he began his youth soccer career with the club at the age of eight.
The midfielder has represented the United States at the youth level on several occasions. This season, he has received call-ups to two separate camps from the U-18 squad, with the first coming from April 22 - May 1 in Bosnia & Herzegovina and the second from July 6-14 in Carson, California. He is the second-youngest player named to the MLS Homegrown Team roster, with only FC Dallas' Alex Zendejas younger than the Grove City native.
The Chipotle MLS Homegrown Game provides a yearly opportunity for MLS to showcase its top young talent and youth development system. This year, Landon Donovan is set to coach the team against the Club America U-20s.
