Crew Play Fire to Scoreless Draw on the Road

Crew Moves into Second Place in Eastern

BRIDGEVIEW, IL – July 11, 2009 - The Columbus Crew drew with the Chicago Fire, 0-0, Saturday night in an Eastern Conference showdown at TOYOTA Park.

Guillermo Barrows Schelotto took the Crew's first dangerous attempt in the 13th minute when midfielder Eddie Gaven headed the ball into the box. Guarded closely by Brown, Schelotto spun and shot, but Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch was able to barely get his fingers to it and make the save.

William Hesmer came up huge for the Crew in the first half with six saves. In the 39th minute, Chicago had one of its best chances of the half. Fire forward Brian McBride beat the Crew’s Frankie Hejduk, while running toward goal and crossed the ball into the box. Chicago midfielder Marco Pappa got to the ball, found some space and drilled the ball into the center of goal and Hesmer's arms.

Forward Steven Lenhart nearly put the Crew in front in the 73rd minute when he headed a long pass into the net just before colliding with Busch, but was called offside.

NOTES:

• The Crew is now 5-3-9 (24 pts.) and is now tied with D.C. United for second place in the Eastern Conference standings.
• Tonight's match was the Crew's first scoreless draw of the season and first time in 2009 that it has failed to score at least one goal.
• Goalkeeper William Hesmer once again had a superlative night, as he set a new career-high with 11 saves in the match. Hesmer recorded his previous high of 10 saves in the Crew’s 1-1 draw with D.C. United last Saturday (July 4).
• The Crew earned its third shutout of the season in the match, with Hesmer recording his second clean sheet of 2009.
• Midfielder Emmanuel Ekpo was shown his fifth yellow card of the season in the match’s 33rd minute. As a result, Ekpo will miss the Crew’s next match as he serves an automatic one-game suspension for yellow card accumulation.
• The Crew was without forward Alejandro Moreno, defender Chad Marshall and midfielder Robbie Rogers for the match. Moreno missed the match due to a hamstring injury, while Marshall and Rogers are currently away with U.S. Men’s National Team as it competes in the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
• The Crew next returns to action next Saturday (July 18) when it hosts Real Salt Lake at Crew Stadium at 8 p.m. ET. The match, which will be televised on ONN-TV, will be the second and final regular season match between the two clubs this season. 

Columbus Crew (5-3-9) vs. Chicago Fire (6-3-7)
July 11, 2009 – TOYOTA Park 

Scoring Summary: 
None

Columbus Crew: William Hesmer, Frankie Hejduk, Eric Brunner, Andy Iro, Gino Padula, Eddie Gaven, Danny O'Rourke, Brian Carroll, Emmanuel Ekpo, Guillermo Barros Schelotto (Jed Zayner 80), Jason Garey (Steven Lenhart 63)

Substitutes Not Used: Andy Gruenebaum (GK), Kevin Burns, Cory Elenio, Alex Grendi, Duncan Oughton

Chicago Fire: Jon Busch, Tim Ward, Bakary Soumare, C.J. Brown, Daniel Woolard, Chris Rolfe, John Thorrington, Baggio Husidic (Patrick Nyarko 74), Marco Pappa (Calen Carr 85), Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Justin Mapp 79), Brian McBride

Substitutes Not Used: Andrew Dykstra (GK), Peter Lowry, Dasan Robinson, Austin Washington

Misconduct Summary: 
CLB – Emmanuel Ekpo (caution: Reckless Tackle) 35

CLB – Danny O’Rourke (caution: Unsporting Behavior) 52

CLB – Brian Carroll (caution: Persistent Infringement) 54

CLB – Eddie Gaven (caution: Reckless Tackle) 85

CLB – Frankie Hejduk (caution: Dissent) 88

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