Thanks to everyone who was able to make it out to last Saturday’s match against New York to help us celebrate the Crew’s 2008 MLS Cup Championship! It was a festive night that was appropriately capped by a 1-0 victory over the Red Bulls, thanks to a Chad Marshall header in the 45th minute.

Former undisputed heavyweight boxing champion and Columbus native James “Buster” Douglas was on hand to take part in the “Night of Champions” ceremonies, and Buster seems to have thoroughly enjoyed himself, as he has recapped his night via twitpic and ning.com! Thanks for all the love Buster, the Champ is always welcome at Crew Stadium!

The other main attraction for last Saturday’s match was of course the MLS Cup Championship rings, which the squad received in a ceremony prior to the match. The rings are absolutely gorgeous and we wanted to pass along a few close-up images for you to take a look at.

Photos of Coach Warzycha’s championship ring are after the jump…

Read more…

Apologies for the delay in reporting. The wireless connection in the press box - which had been spotty throughout the game - disappeared in OT. A frustrating end to a frustrating night.

—

Rochester Rhinos 1 (5), Columbus Crew 1 (3)
June 30, 2009 - Marina Auto Stadium, Rochester, N.Y.
U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 (Rochester advances to Quarterfinals)

Scoring Summary:
ROC - Ty Harden (Johnny Menyongar) 32
CLB - Duncan Oughton (Stanley Nyazamba) 37

Penalty Kicks:
Rochester (5) - Kenton (G), Salles (G), Gregor (G), Bertz (G), Heins (G)
Columbus (3) - Ekpo (G), Moreno (G), Oughton (Sv), Garey (G)

Columbus Crew - Andy Gruenebaum, Jed Zayner, Eric Brunner, Andy Iro, Alex Grendi, Cory Elenio (Emmanuel Ekpo 86), Kevin Burns (Danny O’Rourke 90), Duncan Oughton, Stanley Nyazamba, Steven Lenhart (Alejandro Moreno 77), Jason Garey

Substitutes Not Used: William Hesmer, Brian Carroll, Edie Gaven

Rochester Rhinos - Tim Melia, John Ball, Kenny Bertz, Brent Sancho (Darren Kenton 57), Ty Harden, Chris Nurse, Andrew Gregor, Ryan Heins, Mike Ambersley (Kwame Sarkodie 105), Tai Atieno (Mauricio Salles 96), Johnny Menyongar

Substitutes Not Used: Scott Vallow, Nano Short, Ze Roberto, Warren Ukah)

Statistical Summary:
Shots: Columbus 10 (Oughton 4), Rochester 14 (Menyongar 5); Saves: Columbus 4 (Gruenebaum), Rochester 6 (Melia); Fouls: Columbus 20 (Zayner 4), Rochester 19 (Ball 3); Offsides: Columbus 2, Rochester 4; Corners: Columbus 4, Rochester 7.

Misconduct Summary:
CLB - Grendi (caution) 30
ROC - Ambersley (caution) 34
ROC - Menyongar (caution) 48
CLB - Grendi (caution) 55
CLB - Grendi (ejection - 2 cautions) 55
CLB - Elenio (caution) 85
ROC - Nurse (caution) 103

Referee: Shane Moody
Referee’s Assistants: Steve Montanino, Scott Bonifice
4th official: James Bell
Attendance: 6,098
Weather: Rainy (One-hr. delay at start)

SECOND HALF:

90 min. - O’Rourke for Burns

86 min. - Ekpo for Elenio

78 min. - Moreno in for Lenhart

PK called on Alex Grendi in 54th and Grendi subsequently sent off for receiving second yellow card caution. But Gruenebaum makes stunning save of PK, diving to his left and reaching back to swat it away with his top (right) arm.  

We’ve reached haftime in Rochester and it was an eventful last 13 minutes. After Ty Harden put the Rhinos up in the 32nd minute, Duncan Oughton repsoned with a bicycle kick goal just five minutes later. Two very well taken goals!

EDIT II: We’re underway.

EDIT: Well, the rain did come - along with lightning, evidently - as the game has been delayed until 8 p.m.

Had a bit of rain this afternoon and overcast now with more a possibility. Hopefully, it holds off. Tonight’s starting lineups:

Crew - Gruenebaum, Zayner, Brunner, Iro, Grendi, Elenio, Burns, Oughton, Nyazamba, Lenhart, Garey

Rochester - Melia, Ball, Bertz, Sancho, Harden, Nurse, Gregor, Heins, Ambersley, Atieno, Menyongar

Good afternoon Crew fans! We know there have been some questions about how to check out the Crew’s U.S. Open Cup match at the Rochester Rhinos tonight at 7 p.m. ET and we’ve got info we’d like to pass along. The match will not be televised, but you can listen live online by tuning in to WROO 107.3, where Joe Giuliano will have the call.

Click here to go to the WROO 107.3 website and listen in on tonight’s match.

This week’s Fan Photo of the Week winner is Julie Rothert, who sent in a photo of a young fan flashing the GOAL card during the Crew’s 1-0 win over New York last Saturday (June 27) in a rematch of MLS Cup 2008 at Crew Stadium. Julie is the winner of two tickets to a Crew match later this season. Congratulations Julie!

Remember to send in your favorite fan photos by 5 p.m. on the Monday following each Crew home game to Chris Wilson at cwilson@thecrew.com, and you too could be the winner of tickets to an upcoming Crew match.

Julie’s winning photo is after the jump… Read more…

The Columbus Crew returns home tonight to square off against the New York Red Bulls in a rematch of MLS Cup 2008 on a “Night of Champions” at Crew Stadium. It will be the Red Bulls’ lone visit to Columbus this season and fans will receive a Crew team poster, sponsored by Kroger Healthy Rewards and 3-A-Day Dairy, while supplies last.

To dovetail with the MLS Cup rematch – which will mark the first time the clubs have met since Nov. 23, when the Crew stormed to a 3-1 victory to claim its first league title – the Crew will receive its championship rings in a pregame, on-field ceremony. Approximately 75 area youth soccer championship teams will also be recognized and former undisputed World Heavyweight Champion and Columbus native James “Buster” Douglas will be on hand to perform the ceremonial coin toss before the game.

Douglas, whose stunning knockout of Mike Tyson on Feb. 11, 1990 remains one of boxing’s greatest upsets and seminal moments, still lives in the area and has recently co-authored a book with Tony Reynolds called “Buster’s Backyard Bar-B-Q, Knockout Diabetes Diet.” Read more…

The Crew returns home on Saturday to square off against the New York Red Bulls in a rematch of MLS Cup 2008 on a “Night of Champions” at Crew Stadium. Game time is 7:30 p.m. It will be the Red Bulls’ lone visit to Columbus this season and fans will receive a Crew team poster, sponsored by Kroger Healthy Rewards and 3-A-Day Dairy, while supplies last.

To dovetail with the MLS Cup rematch - which will mark the first time the clubs have met since Nov. 23, when the Crew stormed to a 3-1 victory to claim its first league title - the Crew will receive its championship rings in a pregame, on-field ceremony. Approximately 75 area youth soccer championship teams will also be recognized and former undisputed World Heavyweight Champion and Columbus native James “Buster” Douglas will be on hand to perform the ceremonial coin toss before the game.

Douglas, whose stunning knockout of Mike Tyson on Feb. 11, 1990 remains one of boxing’s greatest upsets and seminal moments, still lives in the area and has recently co-authored a book with Tony Reynolds called “Buster’s Backyard Bar-B-Q, Knockout Diabetes Diet.”

FYI, Crew fans… we’ve just heard word from the League that the Crew’s goal in Saturday’s setback to FC Dallas has been revised from a Pablo Ricchetti own goal to a goal by defender Eric Brunner, with the assist credited to Guillermo Barros Schelotto. The score is Brunner’s first career MLS goal, and the revision awards Schelotto his second assist of the 2009 season. Congratulations on your first career tally, Eric!

After earning its second consecutive win last Sunday (June 14) against Chivas USA to extend its unbeaten streak to nine games, the Crew travels to North Texas tonight to face Western Conference foe FC Dallas.

Tonight’s match, which kicks off at 8:30 p.m. ET, will be televised live nationally on Fox Soccer Channel, with Mark Rogondino and Christopher Sullivan calling all the action and Christian Miles providing sideline coverage. The match can also be heard in English on News/Talk 610 WTVN, and on-line at TheCrew.com and MLSNet.com, with Dwight Burgess behind the microphone, as well as in Spanish on La Que Buena 1550-AM. Read more…