Crew Plays Way into MLS Cup

November 17, 2008 by J. Justin Boggs

The Columbus Crew clinched their first ever spot in the MLS Cup Finals by defeating the Chicago Fire 2-1 Thursday in front of a raucous crowd of over 14,000 in Columbus Crew Stadium.
 
Columbus’ opponent will be determined Saturday when the New York Red Bulls and Real Salt Lake meet in the Western Conference Championship. The MLS Cup will be played on Nov. 23 in Carson, Calif.
 
To make Thursday’s game even more interesting, long time Columbus Crew standout Brian McBride returned to Crew Stadium for the first time as an opponent of the Crew.
 
Also Columbus Crew’s all-time leader in shutouts Jon Busch made the start at goalie for the Fire. McBride headed in the Fire’s lone goal in the 29th minute when he received a pass from Justin Mapp.
 
"If you look at it, I will always be a supporter of the Crew," McBride said. "When the Fire is playing them, I won’t be. Of course you’re excited for them to do well. You can’t spend this many years here and all of a sudden wish ill-will on anybody."
 
Though Columbus started the game sluggishly, they took control 30 minutes into the first half. Four minutes into the second half, Crew forward Chad Marshall headed in an assist off a Guillermo Barros Schelotto free kick. Six minutes later, Columbus got the game winner from Eddie Gavin’s shot past Busch. Schelotto scored a second assist on the goal.
 
"We have been a team that has been very, very resilient," Crew coach Sigi Schmid said. "At the end of the first half, we started to get control of the game and we started to create some chances in the last 15 minutes in the first half."
 
Though the Crew have one more game left to win the MLS Cup, winning the home finale was significant for the Crew. Columbus built up an impressive 11-2-2 home record and the fans gave the team a true home pitch advantage. Also, the Crew won the Supporters’ Shield for the league’s best record.
 
"We haven’t been the greatest organization the last few years, so to come out and to be able to get in the MLS Cup Final and hopefully be able to bring home a trophy, that would be huge for the community," Marshall said.
 
For Crew midfielder Danny O’Rourke, seeing Columbus go to their first ever MLS Cup is extra special. O’Rourke grew up in Worthington and graduated from Kilbourne High School.
 
"It is speechless over (taking the team to the MLS Cup Final), I am so proud to be representing the city in the MLS Cup," he said.
 
Though Columbus has many professional sports franchises, only the minor league Columbus Clippers are the only active franchise that has ever won a champion; the last one coming in 1996. The Columbus Destroyers came close in 2007 by going to the Arena Football League’s Arena Bowl but lost to San Jose.
 
The last professional team in Columbus to win a title was the now defunct Columbus Quest of the women’s American Basketball League in 1998.
 
"It is something that is great for the city, great for the franchise for to get over this hurdle," Schmid said. "Now we got the opportunity to take one more step. There is only one piece of hardware we haven’t gotten this year."