Press Release:
Crew Opens MLS Cup Title Defense With 1-1 Draw at Houston
The Columbus Crew opened defense of its MLS Cup Championship Saturday night with a 1-1 draw at Houston – in a contest between the last three Major League Soccer champions – thanks to an equalizing goal in the 81st minute by 2008 MLS MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto.
After a first half in which neither side was able to draw first blood, Houston took the lead in the 53rd minute, when Chris Wondolowski sprung Brian Ching with a pass behind the Crew defense, which Ching poked home for his first goal of 2009.
The Crew responded in the 82nd minute when rookie midfielder Alex Grendi sent a diagonal pass to second half substitute Jason Garey at the top of the box. Garey nodded the ball down to a wide open Schelotto who calmly slotted the ball inside the right post and into the back of the net to bring the Black & Gold even.
Both sides pressed for the breakthrough goal in the match’s final minutes, but neither team was successful as they opened the 2009 MLS season with one point apiece.
Scoring Summary:
HOU — Brian Ching 1 (Chris Wondolowski 1) 53
CLB – Guillermo Barros Schelotto 1 (Jason Garey 1, Alex Grendi 1) 81
Line-ups:
Columbus Crew – William Hesmer, Frankie Hejduk, Danny O’Rourke, Chad Marshall, Gino Padula (Jason Garey 79), Eddie Gaven, Brian Carroll, Emmanuel Ekpo (Duncan Oughton 87), Robbie Rogers (Alex Grendi 46), Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Alejandro Moreno
Houston Dynamo – Pat Onstad, Richard Mulrooney, Bobby Boswell, Geoff Cameron, Wade Barrett, Brian Mullan, Ricardo Clark, Stuart Holden, Brad Davis, Brian Ching, Chris Wondolowski