The first-place Crew (11-7-7, 40 pts.) travels to Seattle to face the Sounders FC this Saturday, Aug. 27, at 4 p.m. (ET) at CenturyLink Field in a showdown of two of Major League Soccer’s most in-form teams. The Black & Gold is coming off a big 2-1 over then-second place Philadelphia, Saturday (Aug. 20) at Crew Stadium and now owns a four-point lead over Kansas City.
The match will be televised live regionally on ONN with Dwight Burgess and Duncan Oughton calling all the action. The game can be heard in English on News/Talk 610 WTVN and on-line at TheCrew.com, with Neil Sika behind the microphone, and in Spanish on La Mega 103.1, with Carlos Cordova on the call.
The Sounders (12-5-9, 45 pts.) return to MLS action after a midweek CONCACAF Champions League match in Mexico on Tuesday night (Aug. 23) in which Seattle defeated defending champion Monterrey, 1-0, behind a goal by midfielder Alvaro Fernandez. In its most recent league match, Seattle defeated FC Dallas, 1-0, at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas last Saturday (Aug. 20), a result that moved the Sounders in second place in the Western Conference. Seattle is led offensively by Fernandez and forward Fredy Montero who both have six goals on the season. Montero also leads the Sounders in assists with six.
The Crew’s regular-season record against the Sounders is 0-2-3 and 0-0-2 when in Seattle. This is the second and final match between the two teams this season. On May 7, the Crew drew Seattle 1-1 with Emilio Renteria responding to an early goal by Montero with a well placed penalty kick. The last time the two teams met at CenturyLink Field was in the 2010 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final, won by Seattle 2-1, last Oct. 5.
With the win over Philadelphia, on the strength of goals from Emilio Renteria and Andres Mendoza, the Crew has now earned 28 home points at home (8-1-4 record), just one behind league-leading LA (8-0-5, 29).
The Crew will then have a bye week before returning to action on Saturday, Sept. 10, as it hosts Eastern Conference rival Toronto FC in the deciding leg of the 2011 Trillium Cup at Crew Stadium at 7:30 p.m.
COLUMBUS CREW vs. Seattle Sounders FC
Saturday, Aug. 27 – 4 p.m. (ET) – CenturyLink Field, Seattle
Regional Television: ONN
Crew Radio: News/Talk 610 WTVN (English); La Mega 103.1 (Spanish)
Crew Webcast: TheCrew.com (English)
CREW PUB TOUR PRESENTED BY BUDWEISER CONTINUES SATURDAY AT JIMMY V’S IN WESTERVILLE
Join your fellow fans at Jimmy V’s Grill & Pub (1 South State Street, Westerville, 43081) to cheer on the Crew as it takes on the Seattle Sounders FC this Saturday, Aug. 27, at 4 p.m. There will be prizes and giveaways including a chance to win tickets to future Crew home games.
CREW CAPS RETURN TO RESERVE LEAGUE PLAY WITH 1-0 WIN OVER PHILADELPHIA
The Crew returned to MLS Reserve League play on Sunday, Aug. 21, with a 1-0 win over the Philadelphia Union. Midfielder Bernardo Anor broke the scoreless draw with a well-placed shot in the 70th minute, assisted by Crew Soccer Academy player Khai Celestin. Anor’s four goals on the season are good enough for a three-way tie for first place with Chicago’s Orr Barouch and Cristian Nazarit. The Crew is now 4-1-0 in the Reserve League and will return to action on Sunday, Sept. 11, at 10 a.m. as it hosts Toronto FC at Crew Stadium.
EMILIO RENTERIA SCORES TWICE IN AS MANY GAMES SINCE RETURNING FROM INJURY
Crew forward Emilio Renteria returned from injury on Aug. 13, against the New England Revolution and proceeded to add an insurance goal in the 3-1 win over the Revs. On Aug. 20, against Philadelphia, Renteria scored again early in the match to give the Black & Gold the lead in the eventual 2-1 win. The match also marked the first time this season that the Crew’s top two scorers, Renteria and Andres Mendoza, started together in a match.
CREW MOVES INTO TOP 4 IN POWER RANKINGS
After winning its second straight game and improving its record to 11-7-7, the Crew moved up to No. 4 in both the MLSSoccer.com and Soccer America Magazine Power Rankings. The Black & Gold moved up one spot in each poll. Soccer America says: “To prove itself as the best team in the Eastern Conference, the Crew needed to beat runner-up (at the time) Philly, which it did, 2-1, for its fourth win in the past five games. That result cost Philly second place, and added further evidence that the Crew’s goal-scoring demons may be exercised for good. It has scored seven goals in the last four games, and forwards Emilio Renteria and Andres Mendoza both netted against Philly. Robbie Rogers set up the first goal with the final pass and earned a PK to produce the second.” And according to MLSSoccer.com, “The Crew are officially approaching ‘scary’ status. Andrés Mendoza cares, Emilio Rentería is healthy and the midfield has enough depth and talent to overcome any combination of injuries, judging by the last month. They’re not getting much pub because the West is so strong, but don’t sleep on the Crew.”
CREW SOCCER FOUNDATION GOLF CLASSIC TO BE HELD ON SEPT. 19
The Crew Soccer Foundation will hold its Golf Classic at Heritage Golf Club on Sept. 19. Participants will have a chance to test their skills against Crew players on a challenging and beautiful course designed by famed architect P.B. Dye. A variety of single and foursome packages are available, including a VIP foursome package which will allow participants to play with a Crew player (subject to availability). To register for the Crew Soccer Foundation Golf Classic, visit www.thecrew.com/golf <http://www.thecrew.com/golf> .
CREW DEFENDER JULIUS JAMES ON CREWXTRA THIS WEDNESDAY
CrewXtra, the weekly show on ONN Wednesdays at 8, 8:30, 11 and 11:30 p.m., this week will feature Crew defender Julius James – who was named to the MLS Team of the Week for the second week in a row – alongside radio man Neil Sika, Shawn Mitchell of the Columbus Dispatch, and host Beau Bishop, as they discuss last week’s big win over Philadelphia and the upcoming trip to Seattle.
