Crew tops Real Salt Lake 2-0 Saturday at Crew Stadium

COLUMBUS, OH - June 30, 2011 - The Columbus Crew put together a complete performance in a comprehensive 2-0 win over Real Salt Lake Saturday at Crew Stadium. The Crew (6-5-4) is now 4-1-3 in its last eight games.

“I think it was a tough game for us, playing against a very good team," Crew head coach Robert Warzycha stated. "We know what they are capable of doing."

The Crew took a two-goal halftime lead thanks to Tony Tchani in the 16th minute and Eddie Gaven in the 44th en route to a big victory in front of a season-high crowd of 19,674. Tchani converted a cutback pass from Emilio Renteria after Renteria took a long outlet from Sebastian Miranda on the left side of the penalty area. He slipped upon receiving the ball but regained his balance to dribble past RSL's Chris Wingert toward the end line.

That’s when Tchani ran toward the 12-yard spot and cleanly slotted the service for his second goal of the season, having also scored in the last match in Chicago.

RSL’s first scoring chance came off a free kick when Javier Morales sent a header toward goal only to see Andy Gruenebaum make the stop in the 36th minute. They would register only two shots on target for the entire match.

Gaven doubled the home team's advantage off a corner kick. Josh Williams settled the service by Chris Birchall and the defender earned his first assist in his 12th MLS game by setting up Gaven at the top of the goal box for a left-footed shot that struck the underside of the crossbar and continued over the line. Gaven leads the team with four goals.

"It was a great play by Josh to be able to take a touch, hit it to me, open in the box, I'm just happy it went in,” Gaven declared.

The match was moved back an hour because the violent storms that ripped through central Ohio on Friday caused a loss of power at Crew Stadium until late Saturday afternoon.

Crew Snaps Unbeaten Streak with 2-1 Loss at Chicago

BRIDGEVIEW, IL - June 23, 2012 - The Columbus Crew snapped its six-game unbeaten streak with a 2-1 loss at the hands of Eastern Conference rival Chicago Fire, at TOYOTA Park on Saturday night, despite playing with a man advantage for most of the match and mounting a strong offensive comeback. Midfielder Tony Tchani scored his first Black & Gold goal responding to early tallies by Marco Pappa and Dominic Oduro. Midfielder Chris Birchall marked his first start for the Crew with an assist on Tchani’s goal.

It only took Chicago two minutes to get on the board, setting the tempo for the match. Pappa took advantage of a miscue in the midfield, stealing the ball and shooting it from 28 yards out beating an overextended Andy Gruenebaum for the 1-0 lead. The Crew responded three minutes later with an attempt by Emilio Renteria that sailed high above the crossbar and into the stands. In the eighth minute it was Justin Meram’s turn to take a good look after beating his defender; he took his shot only to see it smothered by Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson.

In the 26th minute the Fire doubled up when Sebastian Grazzini sprung Oduro who went between the Crew centerbacks and beat Gruenebaum to make it 2-0. Three minutes later Chicago saw red after Gonzalo Segares was ejected for a late studs-up tackle on Kevan George leaving the Crew up a man for the rest of the match.

The Crew pulled one back in the 36th when Eddie Gaven sent a ball to Birchall down the line, the Trinidad international handed it over to Tchani who easily slotted it far post after jumping over a defender to make it 2-1. Tchani almost doubled up in the 43rd with a shot from outside the box that forced Johnson to deflect the ball into corner.

Up a man and down a goal the Black & Gold came out of the locker room after the break, fighting for the equalizer and almost got one after Tchani took advantage of a melee off a corner kick in the 48th, but the ball went barely above the crossbar. Nine minutes later, Nemanja Vukovic took a free kick finding Josh Williams whose header was denied by a one-handed Johnson save.

In the 71st minute Sebastian Miranda found himself at the top of the 18-yard box and fired a shot, but the ball went straight into Johnson’s hands.

In the 82nd Gaven found himself with his back to goal and the ball at his feet, after turning he took a shot only to see the ball go wide to the left of the goal. The Crew continued on the attack for the remaining moments of the match, but was unable to find the elusive equalizer.

Crew Extends Unbeaten Streak to Six

FOXBOROUGH, MA - June 16, 2012 - The Columbus Crew battled the New England Revolution to a scoreless draw on Saturday night at Gillette Stadium. Goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum recorded six saves earning his fifth shutout of 2012 as the Black & Gold extended its unbeaten streak to six games.

Both teams came out of the gates swinging with the Revolution having the first clear chance of the night, in the first minute, when midfielder Benny Feilhaber sent a diagonal shot across the goal mouth and barely out of play. The Crew responded with a shot by Milovan Mirosevic, serving as captain for the evening, which was deflected by Revs keeper Matt Reis in the eighth minute. A few minutes later Emilio Renteria squared a ball to Eddie Gaven who failed to control the ball sending the shot just wide.

In the 15th Feilhaber sprung forward Jose Moreno who found himself alone in front of Gruenebaum but the Crew netminder made himself big and cleared the ball away. In the 38th minute it was New England forward Fernando Cardenas' turn to test Gruenebaum with two consecutive point blank shots ultimately saved by the ubiquitous goalkeeper.

As the teams came out for the second half, the Crew became more aggressive in search for the elusive tally. In the 65th minute Justin Meram played a ball to Renteria but the Venezuelan sent the ball to the left of the goal. Six minutes later Nemanja Vukovic took his chance form distance only to see the ball barely go above the crossbar.

As the match entered its final minutes Crew midfielder Tony Tchani took advantage of an opening and shot the ball straight into Reis' hands. Gruenebaum was called upon again in the waning moments of stoppage time as he saved a shot by midfielder Lee Nguyen to preserve the shutout and the Crew's sixth straight positive result.