Broadcast info
TV: 7:30
PM CT, FSSW Plus
Radio: ESPN Deportes 1540 AM
What's at stake?
FCD tied Houston 1-1 in their season opener on March 27 at Pizza Hut Park. The
Crew won their season opener 2-0 over Toronto FC on the same day at Crew Stadium. Columbus will be
looking to start the year 2-0, while FC Dallas is seeking their first win of
the year and three points on their home pitch before hitting the road for the
first time of 2010 next weekend.
Last meeting:
On August 15, 2009, more than 19,000 faithful at Crew Stadium left happy as the
Black and Gold prevailed 2-0 over FCD to sweep the season series. A 10th-minute
goal by Chad Marshall put the host side up early and an 87th-minute
tally by Eddie Gaven gave them some breathing room late.
Remember when?
In
a 3-2 win by FCD in Frisco on August 11, 2007, a goal by Marcos Gonzalez six
minutes in gave Columbus a lead
that held until Arturo Alvarez netted an equalizer at the one-hour mark. Andy
Herron put the Crew ahead 2-1 in the 74th only to see Carlos Ruiz
draw things level just six minutes later. A Clarence Goodson header in the 90th
was the winner for FCD.
Heroes & villains:
FCD
goalkeeper Dario Sala has never beaten the Crew. For his career, Sala is 0-4-0
against Columbus with a goals-against-average of 2.00. Other than 2010
expansion club Philadelphia, Columbus is the only club Sala does not have at
least one win against.
Dax
McCarty’s only assist against the Crew was a game-winner. The FCD midfielder
assisted on Goodson’s game-winning header in a 3-2 win back on August 11, 2007.
Columbus midfielder Eddie Gaven has three goals over the last three seasons against FCD. Only one of those tallies has come at Pizza Hut Park, in a 2-1 loss on August 30, 2008.
The Crew has scored at least one goal in each of their last five trips to Dallas. The last time they didn’t was on July 10, 2004, when the Dallas Burn and Columbus played to a scoreless tie at the Cotton Bowl.
Stat that makes you go
“Hmm:"
FCD forward Jeff
Cunningham has scored 121 goals in his career. However, only two ofthosetallies have been at the
Crew’s expense. Cunningham played in Columbus from 1998 through 2004, scoring
62 goals in that span. His two goals against the Black and Gold both came in
2008 right after being traded to FCD from Toronto FC.
He said it:
“You
always expect the same thing from Columbus. They won MLS Cup a few years ago.
They’ve been Supporters’ Shield winners for the past few years. You know
they’re always going to give you a tough game. At the end of the day, they’re
definitely one of the best teams in MLS. We’re owned by the same ownership
group, so there’s always a little bit more competitive fire in the game.
They’re a really good team. They got a good win against Toronto. It’s a home
game. We’re going into it expecting to win and to get all three points.” --FC Dallas
midfielder Dax McCarty
