The Columbus Crew hosts the Eastern Conference rival New York Red Bulls in its MLS FirstKick 2011 home opener this Saturday, March 26. Kickoff is slated for 4 p.m. at historic Crew Stadium, which enters its 13th season as the home of the Crew.
The match will be televised live regionally in ONN with Dwight Burgess and Duncan Oughton calling all the action. It will also be broadcast in high definition exclusively to Time Warner Cable Mid-Ohio customers in Columbus on Ch. 1311. The game can also be heard in English on News/Talk 610 WTVN and on-line at TheCrew.com, with Neil Sika and John Bluem behind the microphone, and in Spanish on La Mega 103.1, with Carlos Cordova and Benny Pietrangelo on the call.
Crew forward Jeff Cunningham enters the match with 132 goals scored, just one behind all-time MLS career leader Jaime Moreno. With his next goal, Cunningham will also become the Crew’s all-time goal-scoring leader, breaking a tie with Brian McBride at 62.
The Black & Gold looks to bounce back from the 3-1 setback it suffered in its regular-season opener at D.C. United last Saturday (March 19). The Red Bulls are coming off a 1-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders at Red Bull Arena. New York will be without five starters from its opener, as defenders Rafa Marquez (Mexico) and Tim Ream (United States), midfielder Dane Richards (Jamaica), forward Juan Agudelo (United States) and goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul (Senegal) have been called up to their respective national teams for matches taking place next week during international FIFA dates.
Crew defender Korey Veeder and Red Bulls defender Sacir Hot will also be unavailable on Saturday as they have been named to the U.S. roster for the 2011 CONCACAF U-20 Championship in Guatemala from March 28 to April 10.
