The Crew (1-1-2, 5 pts.) returns home to host Eastern Conference-rival Sporting KC (1-1-1, 4 pts.) this Saturday, April 16, at 7:30 p.m., on the heels of its scoreless draw with Chivas USA at The Home Depot Center last Saturday, April 9. Crew goalkeeper William Hesmer notched his third consecutive shutout in that game, running his club-record total to 36.
The match will be televised live regionally in ONN with Dwight Burgess and Duncan Oughton calling all the action and Katie Witham reporting from the sidelines. It will also be broadcast in high definition exclusively to Time Warner Cable Mid-Ohio customers in Columbus on Ch. 1311. The game can be heard in English on News/Talk 610 WTVN and on-line at TheCrew.com, with Neil Sika and John Bluem behind the microphone, and in Spanish on La Mega 103.1, with Carlos Cordova and Benny Pietrangelo on the call.
Sporting KC had last weekend off from MLS play and enters the match having most recently defeated the Houston Dynamo, 1-0, on April 6 in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup qualifier, with a stoppage-time goal from C.J. Sapong. Its last league game was an exciting 3-3 draw with the expansion Vancouver Whitecaps on April 2. Team leading scorer and former Akron forward Teal Bunbury tallied two goals while current team assist leader and former Crew standout Kei Kamara scored the third goal for KC, which saw its 3-0 lead erased with two stoppage-time goals by the Whitecaps. KC will be without designated player Omar Bravo who suffered a sports hernia injury and has been ruled out for three to six weeks.
The Black & Gold enters the match in a three-way tie for third place in the Eastern Conference with New York, Houston and Toronto. It is unbeaten in its last three games (1-0-2), all of which have been shutouts. The Crew owns the advantage in the all-time series vs. KC, with a record of 19-17-5, and last season split the series 1-1-0 winning 1-0 in Kansas City on a goal by forward Emilio Renteria and dropping a 1-0 decision at Crew Stadium in July.
Next up, the Crew will travel to Toronto for the first leg of the 2011 Trillium Cup at BMO Field on Saturday, April 23, at 4 p.m., before returning home for Vancouver’s first-ever visit to Crew Stadium on April 30.
COLUMBUS CREW vs. Sporting KC
Saturday, April 16 – 7:30 p.m. (ET) – Crew Stadium
National Television: N/A; Regional Television: ONN (in HD on TWC Ch. 1311)
Crew Radio: News/Talk 610 WTVN (English); La Mega 103.1 (Spanish)
Crew Webcasts: TheCrew.com (English)
CREW STADIUM CELEBRATES EARTH DAY
In celebration of Earth Day, the Crew has partnered with Keep Columbus Beautiful, Major League Soccer and the Bonneville Environmental Foundation on several environmental and beautification initiatives. During Saturday’s game, thousands of plantable seedlings and eco-guides will be distributed to fans, with tips on how to reduce, reuse and recycle. In addition, 100 percent of the electricity used at Crew Stadium in Saturday’s game will be offset using renewable energy wind resources. The carbon dioxide reduction value is the equivalent of more than 130,197 pounds and will support enough wind energy to power an average U.S. home for over eight years.
CHAD MARSHALL NAMED TO TEAM OF THE WEEK FOR THIRD STRAIGHT WEEK
Black & Gold captain Chad Marshall was named to the MLSsoccer.com Best XI for the third straight week. Marshall was named for his exceptional performance in helping the Crew secure its third shutout in a row. READ MORE
CREW SOCCER ROCKS CONTINUES APRIL 19 AT LIBERTY UNION YOUTH SOCCER ASSOCIATION IN BALTIMORE
Several members of the Crew travel to Baltimore, Ohio, for the second Crew Soccer Rocks clinic of the 2011 season on Tuesday, April 19 at Alt Park. Approximately 150 youth are expected to participate in the event, which will include a post-clinic autograph signing.
CREW SOCCER ACADEMY’S WIL TRAPP CALLED INTO US U-18 CAMP
Crew Soccer Academy and Gahanna Lincoln standout Wil Trapp has been called into the United States U-18 training camp. The 24-man squad will convene in Portland, Ore., from April 16-24 and will play friendlies against the Portland Timbers, the University of Portland and the University of Washington during the camp. READ MORE
CREW SOCCER ACADEMY 15/16s WIN, 17/18s DRAW AGAINST CLEVELAND INTERNATIONALS
The Crew Soccer Academy 15/16s and 17/18s hosted the Cleveland Internationals Academy last weekend at the Crew Training Center at Obetz. The 15/16s strengthened their lead atop the USSF Development Academy Central Conference Great Lakes Division by coming back from a 2-0 deficit to win 3-2. Quinn Miller scored a brace Tom Granot notched the winner in the final minute. The 17/18s also came back from a 2-0 deficit to tie their counterparts 2-2, in dramatic fashion, with stoppage time goals by Brett Elder and Max Reihemann. Next up, CSA hosts the Lonestar Soccer Club Academy on Saturday, April 16, at 1 and 3:30 p.m. at the Crew Training Center at Obetz.
TICKETS FOR NEWCASTLE ON SALE APRIL 20
The Crew hosts Newcastle United of the English Premier League on Wednesday, July 26, at Crew Stadium. Individual advance ticket prices start at $24 and will go on sale Wednesday, April 20, at 10 a.m., at the Crew Stadium Box Office, all central Ohio Ticketmaster retail locations, via Ticketmaster phone at 1-800-745-3000 and on-line at TheCrew.com, following the completion of an exclusive presale offer to Crew Soccer Nation members.
