The Crew kicks off a big two-game week on Wednesday when it opens 2010-11 CONCACAF Champions League play at home against Municipal of Guatemala, in a game that will be televised live nationally on FOX Soccer Channel. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. at Crew Stadium.
The Black & Gold will remain at home when they return to league action on Saturday (Aug. 21) vs. the Colorado Rapids. That game, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m., will be televised live regionally on ONN-TV with Dwight Burgess and Bill McDermott calling all the action. It can also be heard in English on News/Talk 610 WTVN, 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.
Founded in 1936, CSD Municipal or Los Rojos (the Reds) hail from Guatemala City, Guatemala. The Reds are champions of the Liga Nacional in Guatemala, a title they have won a record 28 times, and their roster features former Crew forward Mario Rodriguez, who spent the 2005 season in Black & Gold. The CONCACAF Champions League is the annual international club championship for teams from the CONCACAF region (North America, Central America and the Caribbean).
Top teams from the region qualify for the competition and the winner earns a berth in the following year’s FIFA Club World Cup, which pits each continental confederation’s champion against the others annually. The Crew qualified for the tournament by winning the 2009 MLS Supporters’ Shield. It advanced to the CCL quarterfinal round in 2009-10.
Two teams from each four-team group advance to the quarterfinals, with each group winner drawn to face a runner-up from one of the other groups. The draw which establishes the quarterfinal pairings also determines the potential semifinal matches.
Colorado, which sits fifth in the Western Conference with a 7-5-7 record (28 points), is coming off a 1-1 draw at Philadelphia on Saturday (Aug. 14), in which it got its goal from All-Star Jeff Larentowicz. The Rapids are led offensively by Conor Casey, who has seven goals and three assists.
The Crew, which remains in first place in the Eastern Conference with an 11-5-4 record (37 pts.), enters the match after falling on the road to Real Salt Lake Saturday (Aug. 14) at Rio Tinto Stadium. The Black & Gold’s now leads New York by six points in the Eastern Conference standings.
The Rapids won the first game of the season series, 1-0, on June 5 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. Drew Moor scored that game’s lone goal in the 85th minute.
COLUMBUS CREW vs. CSD Municipal (Guatemala)
CONCACAF Champions League
Wednesday, Aug. 18 – 8 p.m. at Crew Stadium
National Television: FOX Soccer Channel
COLUMBUS CREW vs. Colorado Rapids
Saturday, Aug. 21 – 7:30 p.m. at Crew Stadium
Regional Television: ONN-TV
Radio: News/Talk 610 WTVN (English); La Mega 103.1 (Spanish)
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FOURTH ANNUAL CREW 5K SET FOR THIS SATURDAY, AUG. 21, AT CREW STADIUM
The Columbus Crew 5K will be held this Saturday, Aug. 21, at 8:30 a.m. at Crew Stadium. All runners will receive a free tech shirt, goody bag and a free ticket to see the Crew take on the Colorado Rapids at home that evening at 7:30 p.m. The Crew 5K Run/Walk course will wind around Columbus Crew Stadium, the Ohio Historical Society and some of the nearby fairground areas, with the finish taking place inside Crew Stadium at midfield. It is a USATF Certified Course. Following the race, there will be music, food, games, Crew Cat and the Crewzers on the Crew Kicker Plaza. Early registration can be completed for $35 or $40 on Race Day. A 1 Mile Kids’ Run will begin at 8 a.m. Race entries, registration, shirts and goodie bags can be picked up at the Columbus Running Company (6465 Perimeter Dr. Dublin, OH 43016) from Aug. 14-20 during regular store hours. Race Day packet pickup and Race Day registration begins at the stadium at 6:30 a.m. To register, or for more information, please visit TheCrew./com/5k.
2010 COPA VICTORIA TOURNAMENT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCHES ARE SATURDAY AT CREW STADIUM
The championship matches of the 2010 Copa Victoria Tournament will be held this Saturday, Aug. 21, at Crew Stadium, in conjunction with the Crew match vs. Colorado. The women’s final between Chilangas USA and Maquina will be played prior to the Crew match, at 12 Noon, while the men’s final – a rematch between 2009 finalists San Antonio and Brasil – will kick off following the Crew game, at 9:45 p.m. This year’s tournament, sponsored by Budweiser and adidas, played host to 25 Hispanic soccer clubs from four leagues around central Ohio: Latinos Unidos, OHASA, Interlatinos and Guzman Soccer League. All games prior to the championship were played at the Crew Training Facility at Obetz.
CREW TO FACE D.C. UNITED IN U.S. OPEN CUP SEMIFINALS SEPT. 1 AT RFK STADIUM
By virtue of its 2-0 victory over the Harrisburg City Islanders on July 21, D.C. United advanced to face the Crew in the semifinals of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tournament. D.C. will host the match at RFK Stadium at 7:30 p.m. Chivas USA and Seattle Sounders FC will meet in the other semifinal. The Crew is in the semis for the first time since winning it all in 2002.
CREWXTRA TO AIR ON THURSDAY THIS WEEK DUE TO CHAMPIONS LEAGUE MATCH
CrewXtra, the Crew’s weekly show on ONN-TV hosted by Beau Bishop, will air this week on Thursday, instead of its usual Wednesday time slot. With the Crew’s CONCACAF Champions League Wednesday at 8, CrewXtra will air Thursday at 8 and 11 p.m. CrewXtra 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.
