Shield, Cup double puts Crew in rare company

CARSON, Calif. -- Those intimately involved with the Columbus Crew might not be the most unbiased to rank where the MLS Cup winners rank among the best in league history, but that doesn't stop them from having an opinion.

Investor-operator Clark Hunt of the Hunt Sports Group said the team is one of the best after being the first team in six years to win the Supporters' Shield (best regular-season record) and the MLS Cup in the same season with a 3-1 against New York on Sunday in The Home Depot Center.

It's only happened five teams in 13 seasons as the Crew joins the ranks of Los Angeles in 2002, Kansas City two years earlier and the D.C. United teams of 1997 and 1999. There's a link between the past two "double" winners -- current Crew coach Sigi Schmid was in charge of the Galaxy and the Hunts owned the Wizards at the time of their championship.

"It's a good accomplishment," said midfielder Brad Evans. "We set some goals at the beginning of the year. One was to make the playoffs and we accomplished that. Then win the Supporters' Shield, get by the first round, conference and win the MLS Cup. Go down the checklist. We did everything we wanted to do, which is outstanding."

The Crew won with style and in style. When everything clicked, it was breathtaking. After New York tied the match at 1-1, the incomparable Guillermo Barros Schelotto led the Crew charge that put the match away.

First, his corner kick was dead-on to Chad Marshall for a header just 87 seconds after the Red Bulls' equalizer.

"Our response was tremendous," assistant coach Robert Warzycha said. "From that point I knew nothing was going to happen to us."

It was Schelotto and his mates from there. He hit the crossbar with a strike from 22 yards then chipped a ball to Frankie Hejduk for an insurance goal in the 82nd minute to cap the Crew's turnaround from a postseason onlooker for three consecutive years to hoisting the trophy for the first time.

"We worked so hard this year. Guys worked their butts off. It feels really good," midfielder Eddie Gaven said. "This is what the team worked for. To see everybody run out there and jump on each other, it was just a special moment."

Columbus got stronger as the season went along. Critics wondered if the team peaked in late August and early September when it won four in a row which made capturing the Shield a possibility.

Then there was a disappointing 2-2 tie at Chicago on Oct. 12 when the Crew let a late lead slip away. That was followed by a 3-1 loss at New York and a 1-0 home win vs. D.C. United even though they were outplayed by the visitors.

If a 1-1 tie in the first leg of the opening series at Kansas City -- rookie Steven Lenhart scored in stoppage time to save the Crew -- shook the team's confidence, it wasn't telling. As the Crew did all season, they went back to work and followed leading scorer Alejandro Moreno's mantra: "Do what you do."

The Crew played wickedly tight defense and got timely goals to beat K.C. 2-0 at home to win the series 3-1 on aggregate to set up the Eastern Conference Championship against Chicago.

As had happened on 18 previous occasions during the season, the Crew fell behind 1-0, but for the 11th time responded with a positive result. Urged by a fanatical following in Crew Stadium, the Crew used scores by Chad Marshall and Gaven to book a place in the final.

"For this team to come through and be leaders the whole season is not an easy thing to do," Hejduk said. "Everyone was saying before the playoffs, 'You guys are doing too good during the year. You're going to get knocked out.'

"This team just held strong. It's just a bunch of battlers. That's the way we've been all year. I would put this team up to any team in the whole MLS Cup history, MLS history and we'd beat them. This team is second to none."

The championship run was no fluke. Since a 2-0 loss at Houston on Aug. 2 the Crew were 11-1-3. Their lone setback at New York came after clinching the Supporters' Shield and Schmid rested six starters. The Red Bulls went into the MLS Cup confident, based on beating the Crew twice in the regular season, but both were at home on artificial turf. In two games on grass the Crew won both 3-1.

"I'm just very proud of what our team did all season," Schmid said. "We found different ways to win at various times throughout the season ... Guillermo Barros Schelotto was tremendous. And other individuals stepping up at times was excellent as well."

All one has to do is look at the playoff scoring: Eight goals by seven players. Only Marshall, the 2008 MLS Defender of the Year, scored twice.

Of course, the offense runs through Schelotto. It wasn't enough that he had 19 assists in the regular season. He added six more in the four postseason games, including a record three in the final.

"I think Guillermo is a very special player," Moreno said. "And he's one of those players that can find passes that not many players in this league can find. And it allows for Robbie (Rogers) to become a better player. It allows for Eddie Gaven to become a better player. And it certainly allows me more opportunity to score goals."

While the Crew became the first team since D.C. United in 2004 to score three or more goals in the MLS Cup, William Hesmer celebrated his 27th birthday by becoming the first goalkeeper not to have a save in the title match.

After John Wolyniec scored in the 51st minute, the Red Bulls had only two shots the rest of the match and one came in the final seconds of stoppage time.

"This team has played great defense the whole year and it definitely showed out there again," Gaven said.

Evans agreed. "Overall, we played extremely well in the second half. We showed the character we've had all season and fought together as a team."

With the end of every season comes the realization that this group of 28 players will soon go their separate ways. Changes in roster limits and the folding of the reserve division automatically means there will be at least four fewer roster spots next season.

Some players will be released. One among the many on the unprotected list for Wednesday's expansion draft will likely got to Seattle Sounders FC.

Key players Schelotto, Marshall and defender Danny O'Rourke are out of contract but the Crew are hopeful of re-signing all. The big question is if Schmid will sign a new deal with Columbus or move to Seattle. If he comes back the pieces should be aligned for another title run. Hunt and Schmid reportedly met Monday morning to discuss a contract. If Schmid is not back, Warzycha will become the head coach.

"Certainly we're thinking about repeating in 2009," Hunt said.

For now, it's party time.

An official celebration is still being planned but fans have been encouraged to meet the team at Port Columbus International Airport around 11 p.m. Monday in the baggage claim area.

"Our fans were awesome again (Sunday)," three-time Cup winner Ezra Hendrickson said. "That's something good for them. They stuck with us. The past couple of years haven't been too successful but the fans were always there for us."

Tactical surprises unlikely in MLS Cup

CARSON, Calif. -- We all know what to expect Sunday from Sigi Schmid's Columbus Crew, a club blissfully anchored to the school of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it."

But who thought we would say this about Juan Carlos Osorio's club: You pretty much know what to expect from the New York Red Bulls on Sunday, too. Given Osorio's notorious tendency to tinker, that's a real shocker.

Of course there's always a chance the Red Bulls' Colombian boss can't conquer the urge to juggle lineups or formations in Sunday's MLS Cup Final at The Home Depot Center. More likely, however, Osorio will go status quo, retaining for one more match the core personnel and tactics that lifted his team from playoff afterthought status.

NEWSMLS Cup recap
• Crew capture first MLS Cup
• MLS Cup Notes: Crew win Cup
• Schelotto named MLS Cup MVP
• Hejduk adjusts style in MLS Cup
• Lewis: Right team took Cup
• Davis: Tactics trumped by talent
• Wolyniec rewards Osorio's faith
• Red Bulls waste strong first half
• Cup win sweet for Crew's Moreno
• Red Bulls can't dodge final dagger
• Crew win Cup with team effort
• Crew notebook: Trio hope to return
• Red Bulls notebook: Still proud
MLS Cup Sights & Sounds

Highlights: CLB 3, NY 1

ExtraTime: MLS Cup Final

Crew top Red Bulls, 3-1

Crew celebrate MLS Cup win

Crew locker room celebration

MLS Cup trophy ceremony

Schelotto postgame interview

Crew players react

Crew press conference

Red Bulls press conference

One-Touch spotlight: Angel

One-Touch spotlight: Schelotto

Hejduk's late clincher

Marshall's game-winner

Wolyniec's equalizer

Moreno puts Crew on top
Nov. 22 headlines
• Tactical surprises unlikely
• NY native Gaven still growing
• Sidelined Stammler supportive
Nov. 21 headlines
• Carroll is Crew's unsung hero
• Goldthwaite stabilizes Red Bulls
• Crew expect strong support
Nov. 20 headlines
• Backline is Crew's backbone
• Angel key to Red Bulls' success
• LA weather sweet as Crew train
SIGHTS & SOUNDS

State of the League Address

Extra Time: Red Bulls preview

Extra Time: Crew preview

Crew arrive in Los Angeles

Crew practice Thursday

Red Bulls talk Cup

Crew talk beards, MLS Cup

So, what should we expect from these playoff survivors tactically on Sunday in sunny Carson, where the late fall heat might keep the game a bit slower than usual? Let's take a look:

New York Red Bulls

Osorio's Red Bulls are in southern California, stalking their first MLS Cup, because they hit upon a winning formula just in the nick of time. It's defend-and-counter soccer, and the Red Bulls are executing it to Swiss timepiece perfection at the moment.

They are defending with six and attacking, usually, with four. Occasionally, one of the two holding midfielders will drift forward or one of the outside backs will stray from defense to provide a cross.

But mostly the Red Bulls four-man back line -- Osorio has settled lately into a fairly straightforward 4-4-2 setup -- is content to stay together, always more comfortable defending in packs. The defenders held a high line in the two early postseason games against Houston. When paired with the busy midfielders, it served to squeeze the field and frequently choked the life out of the Dynamo attack. They moved the line a little further back against Real Salt Lake, aware that the strikers' pace could prove troublesome.

And the Red Bulls' back four, driven lately by outstanding outings from right back Chris Leitch, will have a harder time keeping that high line on Sunday. The field at The Home Depot Center is larger than any of the three New York has performed on in the postseason so far. If the defenders push their line too close to midfield, Crew playmaker Guillermo Barros Schelotto will find Robbie Rogers in the left corner, and the young U.S. attacker will be all kinds of trouble for Leitch.

So, expect to see Osorio's team sit back and keep the Crew attackers in front of them.

"In top level football, as I keep saying to the players, you only have to have one [goal] to win now," Osorio said. He pointed to Chelsea's 2003 team, which found big success through a well-worn pattern of 1-0 wins.

"They have [good] players, and they still played to defend properly, and that means defending with five, six players and attacking with five or four players," Osorio said. "And that's what we tried to do here."

The key to getting that one goal that Osorio so covets is choosing the right moment to pounce. The Red Bulls want to catch Columbus at a numerical disadvantage in the back, and then drive forward aggressively with pace and audacity.

Dane Richards' speed on the right and Dave van den Bergh's experienced eye on the left allows them to bother defenses in different ways. Richards wants to exploit Crew left back Gino Padula in the one-on-one opportunities.

Van den Bergh will surely be more conservative, content to sit back more than Richards, especially as he'll have venturesome Crew right back Frankie Hejduk to deal with. When van den Bergh does get possession, the Dutch flanker wants to look up quickly to spot the moments where striker extraordinaire Juan Pablo Angel is in a favorable position, or when he can switch the ball to Richards on the other side, hoping to exploit the young Jamaican's one-one-one ability.

It is Angel's uncanny ability to make big moments out of little chances that allows the Red Bulls to play this way. There is probably no better striker in MLS in terms of converting opportunities, no scorer more clinical around the opposition goal.

All of this depends on New York getting the first goal. If Columbus can maneuver through the pileup of defenders and defensive-minded midfielders, then the Red Bulls will have to pry itself out of that defensive shell. So far, in three postseason contests, Osorio's men have found the first goal, allowing them to retain that defend-to-the-end mindset.

"We have to defend from the front and we have shown that certainly in the last two games, and it proved to be very rewarding for us," Osorio said. "And hopefully that will continue to be the case."

Columbus Crew

The Crew have been as predictable as they come all year -- but that certainly doesn't mean the Black and Gold are easy to knock off their oh-so-familiar game.

Manager Schmid's 4-4-2 is really more of a 4-4-1-1. Schelotto, the 2008 MLS Most Valuable Player, sits behind striker Alejandro Moreno, probing for weak spots in the defense. Then he'll pick his moments to go link with Robbie Rogers on the left, Eddie Gaven on the right or Brad Evans coming right down the middle. And, of course, he'll always know where to find striker Alejandro Moreno. Moreno's holdup play gets mentioned less than it should, but was among the secrets to the Crew's Supporters' Shield-winning campaign.

Expect to see the Crew fullbacks join the attack, but in different ways. Hejduk will look to get up and down the right wing, providing crosses and forcing the Red Bulls defenders and midfielders to make quick choices about whom to cover, hoping to create confusion that way. On the other side, left back Padula is more of a passing threat, but less of a threat to venture too far forward. That will be especially true on Sunday as Padula will always want to keep Richards in front of him.

Speaking of venturing too far forward, don't expect holding midfielder Brian Carroll to have one of his more adventurous afternoons. Expect to see him stay conservative, ever cognizant of the destructive potential of that Red Bulls' counter attack.

Gaven, on the right side of the midfield, tucks into the center a little more often than Rogers on the other side, providing Carroll and Evans with a hand in the important ball-hawking chores.

"The matchups for us on the wide channels of the field are important, both offensively and defensively," Schmid said. "We've got to keep van den Bergh and Richards contained. But they have to do the same with Rogers and Gaven."

On defense, it's all about three things for the men from Columbus: they have to keep Richards from running at them one-on-one and keep him from squirting in behind the four-man back line; they must snuff out counter-attacking danger and not provide opportunities with freebie giveaways in the middle third, and; they have to deal effectively with Angel -- which ain't easy.

The way the Columbus defense works, MLS Defender of the Year Chad Marshall will look to match up with Angel whenever possible, with fellow center back Danny O'Rourke providing support and looking to sweep up the loose balls around them.

Every moment that O'Rourke gets matched up against Angel -- and you know New York will be looking to do just that -- represents a real moment of danger for the Crew. That happened a few times when Columbus met Chicago in the Eastern Conference Championship, where Brian McBride got matched with the lesser experienced O'Rourke. (O'Rourke was formerly a center midfielder who made the conversion to defense only this year.) McBride turned one such chance into a first-half goal, although the Crew were able to rally past it and move on.

"We always have to have an awareness of Angel because he's such a dangerous forward," Schmid said. "But they have to have an awareness of Guillermo, because he floats into spaces and he's difficult to find at times."

Set pieces:

In big games, free kicks and corner kicks have even more potential than usual to turn the match. When Schelotto is around, multiply that statement by two. That's especially true with Marshall on the prowl, looking for the MLS Cup glory goal off Schelotto's set-piece service.

No one on the field Sunday hits a dead ball with Schelotto's accuracy, a fact not lost on anybody in a Red Bulls kit.

Obviously, Columbus' ability to convert its dead ball opportunities is dangerous on its face. But there's something else that makes all that set-piece ability so particularly troublesome for the Red Bulls.

New York's players are keenly aware of the Schelotto-Marshall combo, and of Schelotto's ability generally to create mayhem in the six-yard box with those curling, fast-dropping missiles. So they'll be extra cautious about fouling Crew attackers in their defensive third. (Although Red Bulls center back Diego Jimenez didn't let any similar concerns bother him in the Western Conference Championship, when he took a couple of big chances with lunges in or near the penalty area.)

That said, the Red Bulls defenders probably will be extra careful about initiating contact in dangerous spots -- and that moment's hesitation can be a Red Bull killer if Rogers or Moreno gets just few feet of additional breathing space.

One last thing: the man most responsible for dealing with those set-piece crosses is Danny Cepero, the Red Bulls' young goalkeeper. He's handled everything with aplomb so far in the postseason. Then again, Cepero has never played in match as big as this one. So look for Columbus to put the pressure on him every way possible.

"I'd be lying if I said there was no pressure, there weren't any nerves," Cepero said. "I think it's just a natural part of the game. The stakes get higher and higher. You feel the pressure."

Hoops pass through draft unscathed

FRISCO, Texas -- At least in the eyes of FC Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman, two players were left unprotected for Wednesday afternoon's expansion draft with a good chance of being picked by Seattle Sounders FC: goalkeeper Ray Burse and defender Aaron Pitchkolan.

But after the league's newest entry had made its 10 picks, neither player had been chosen, and while surprised, Hyndman was pleased with the outcome.

"I thought we had two very good players out there on that expansion list -- Aaron Pitchkolan and Ray Burse. They were two that we continued to fight over on whether we put them out there or not put them out there," Hyndman said. "We took a heck of a risk. [Pitchkolan] had 17 games for us this year. He is getting better and better and more experienced. I really think that Ray is the future goalkeeper of FC Dallas. I'm glad that Seattle has gone in a different direction, for sure."

The other big name that FCD left unprotected was center back and captain Duilio Davino, who has a guaranteed contract for next season, though his effect on the Sounders salary budget might have been a reason why he was not selected.

"Duilio is an extremely talented player and has a good resume," he said. "Saying that, he's also an expensive player and I just felt that putting him out there, Seattle would, 1) have to meet his salary demands, which I don't know if they were capable of doing that or 2) somebody else in the league may trade for Duilio and they would also have to meet his salary demands. I felt a little bit better about that one than Pitch to be honest."

When Davino missed seven games late in the season, it was Pitchkolan who filled in admirably and even scored his first goal since 2006. So, Hyndman is pleased that the four-year veteran wasn't chosen by the team from the Emerald City, especially since he is looking forward to having him for the future.

"No doubt about it, I still feel that Pitch is a person that we want to move forward with," Hyndman said. "But the interesting thing with expansion is that they will only let you protect 11. We went back and forth on the list and knew that there were some players on the list that Seattle wasn't interested in. What we didn't know is whether somebody else in the league would trade for something to Seattle to get somebody that we were trying to protect. It was a difficult choice but a gutsy call for us. We were forced to make a decision and now, it was the right decision because we didn't lose any players."

As for Burse, FCD might have signed starting 'keeper Dario Sala to a contract extension right after the season but that doesn't mean Hyndman won't expect to see the former Ohio State standout challenge the veteran Argentinean for the starting job in preseason.

"Absolutely, one of the things that Ray and I talked about was that he wanted to be some place where he felt he had a legitimate chance to be the starting keeper," Hyndman said. "And he didn't know if he was going to get that here because we had just re-signed Dario (Sala). I assured him that should not be what he worries about. What he should worry about is his performance. We have re-signed Dario because he is our 'keeper and we didn't want to throw a burden on Ray without him having the opportunity to play many games. But going into preseason, my message to him was to be prepared to be at his best and opportunities would come."

U.S. begins final round of WCQ vs. Mexico

There probably haven't been many other tournament draws with as little drama attached as the one announcing the schedule for next year's final round of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The six participants were already known, and the only items revealed were the dates on which the games would take place.

This lack of excitement wasn't lost on U.S. head coach Bob Bradley.

"I joked with someone this morning when they asked, 'How'd the draw go?' and I said 'We play every team twice," Bradley said. "I wasn't just being a wise-guy. I've learned that despite all the things you hear before draws take place, once it begins, you never know what's going to happen. From there it's just an ability to concentrate on each game."

That said, the USA's quest to reach the finals in South Africa begins with a whopper, as they will play host to Mexico on Feb. 11. While the venue for the match has yet to be decided, finding a location as close to the Arctic as possible is the unquestioned aim of U.S. Soccer Federation president Sunil Gulati.

"We certainly aren't going to be playing Mexico in southern California or Florida for obvious reasons," said Gulati, who later joked, "Of course, if Mexico agree to play at sea level in Monterrey, then maybe I could convince [Bradley] to play in one of those places."

Gulati later added: "We're going to play the game in a venue that will give us the best chance of winning. It's very likely to be a place where the temperature might be a little lower."

The remainder of the schedule alternates away and home games until rounds eight and nine, when the U.S. plays both Trinidad and Tobago and Honduras on the road. The Yanks then conclude qualifying with a potentially tricky encounter at home to Costa Rica, although Bradley will no doubt be hoping that the U.S. will have already qualified by the time that game takes place.

One complication will occur in early June, just prior to when the U.S. leaves for the Confederations Cup in South Africa. The match away to Costa Rica, originally scheduled for June 10, will be moved to June 3. The USA will then play Honduras at home three days later.

As for when the venues would be decided, Gulati indicated that in the next 10 days, the USSF would have a "complete matrix" of places that would be considered, adding that stadiums with artificial turf and temporary grass fields would not be considered.

"Right after Thanksgiving, we'll internally try to finalize those venues," said Gulati.

Crew notebook: Ekpo continues big year

CARSON, Calif. -- Ho-hum. Another final for Emmanuel Ekpo.

Actually, it's been quite a year for the Columbus Crew midfielder as he's at a championship match for the second time in three months.

Ekpo, 20, played for the Nigerian Olympic team that earned the silver medal at the Beijing Olympics. He was on the field for the last 20 minutes of the 1-0 loss in the final to Argentina on Aug. 23.

He will be a reserve Sunday when the Crew face New York for the MLS Cup.

NEWSMLS Cup recap
• Crew capture first MLS Cup
• MLS Cup Notes: Crew win Cup
• Schelotto named MLS Cup MVP
• Hejduk adjusts style in MLS Cup
• Lewis: Right team took Cup
• Davis: Tactics trumped by talent
• Wolyniec rewards Osorio's faith
• Red Bulls waste strong first half
• Cup win sweet for Crew's Moreno
• Red Bulls can't dodge final dagger
• Crew win Cup with team effort
• Crew notebook: Trio hope to return
• Red Bulls notebook: Still proud
MLS Cup Sights & Sounds

Highlights: CLB 3, NY 1

ExtraTime: MLS Cup Final

Crew top Red Bulls, 3-1

Crew celebrate MLS Cup win

Crew locker room celebration

MLS Cup trophy ceremony

Schelotto postgame interview

Crew players react

Crew press conference

Red Bulls press conference

One-Touch spotlight: Angel

One-Touch spotlight: Schelotto

Hejduk's late clincher

Marshall's game-winner

Wolyniec's equalizer

Moreno puts Crew on top
Nov. 22 headlines
• Tactical surprises unlikely
• NY native Gaven still growing
• Sidelined Stammler supportive
Nov. 21 headlines
• Carroll is Crew's unsung hero
• Goldthwaite stabilizes Red Bulls
• Crew expect strong support
Nov. 20 headlines
• Backline is Crew's backbone
• Angel key to Red Bulls' success
• LA weather sweet as Crew train
SIGHTS & SOUNDS

State of the League Address

Extra Time: Red Bulls preview

Extra Time: Crew preview

Crew arrive in Los Angeles

Crew practice Thursday

Red Bulls talk Cup

Crew talk beards, MLS Cup

"The crowd will be different but it is the same type of game playing in the finals of the Olympics and now I'm playing in the finals in the MLS," Ekpo said. "I don't think I'll have nerves. At the Olympics I was a little bit nervous in front of the crowd but I'm OK with that."

Crew teammate Robbie Rogers was also at the Olympics but the United States was eliminated in a loss to Nigeria in the last match of the opening round.

He said the MLS Cup has a different feel than what he experienced in China.

"You can't really compare it to the Olympics. There's 60,000-plus in the stands there. Just putting on your national team jersey means a lot," said Rogers, who expects to start in the midfield for the Crew. "I think at the beginning, maybe during warmups, I'll have some nervousness. You get used to it and it doesn't really affect you."

New heights for Hejduk: Crew captain Frankie Hejduk has been there and done that for both club and country. With all of his experience in MLS, the Bundesliga and the World Cup, Hejduk has never reached the pinnacle of domestic play.

That will all change when he leads Columbus out onto the field on Sunday afternoon.

"Definitely in MLS, this is my biggest game ever," Hejduk said. "This rates up there with some of the World Cup games I've played in. I've given nine years of my career to MLS and this is the first time I've had this chance in an MLS Cup. Whenever you give a bit of your life to something, it means a lot to you."

It means so much to Hejduk that he compared it to his roles in two World Cup finals with the United States.

"It rates up there with me in terms of being in a World Cup because you're together all year long just for one major goal," Hejduk. "It's finally here and we're taking hold of that and grasping that. We know what it's like now. We have that buzz and we have that itch. We're like bucking horses. We can't wait for tomorrow."

Last man standing: No one among the players, coaching staff or support team has been around as many Crew games as assistant coach Robert Warzycha.

The former Polish international joined the Crew in June of their inaugural 1996 season and has seen the club come close before, but never qualify for the MLS Cup Final until beating Chicago on Nov. 13 in the Eastern Conference Championship.

"It finally happened. I've been waiting 13 years for this to happen. We have a team this year that obviously can go all the way," he said Saturday after the team's final practice. "Tomorrow I don't want to be overly excited."

He's been to MLS Cups before as spectator and as part of his duties as an assistant but it was nothing like this.

"There's so much distraction on the field and off the field for the guys to go through," he said. "I'm very excited for them but the other stuff that comes with it, you have to put aside and think about the game but it's a great feeling. It's different than if you came here to watch the game. You're actually involved."

In attendance: On hand to watch their team practice Saturday at The Home Depot Center were brothers Clark and Dan Hunt, sons of the late Crew founder Lamar Hunt, and Hunt Sports Group president John Wagner.

The Hunts owned Kansas City when it won the 2000 MLS Cup in Washington's RFK Stadium and lost to D.C. United in 2004 at The Home Depot Center.

Blowing out the candles: Defender Danny O'Rourke answered a lot of questions this week so he had one for the reporters Saturday: "Can we play already?"

He also said he would be thrilled to celebrate goalkeeper William Hesmer's 27th birthday Sunday if the Crew take the title.

"I'll buy whatever he wants if we win. No, don't quote that," O'Rourke said.

Ready to entertain: Columbus and the Crew received some encouraging news Saturday when the draw for the final round of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying was announced.

The U.S. will open by playing host to Mexico on Feb. 11. That has fueled speculation that the U.S. Soccer Federation will hope to replicate the frosty reception its archrival received on Feb. 28, 2001, when Crew Stadium was the site that night for a 2-0 USA victory. Officials wanted a pro-U.S. crowd and wintry weather to disarm the Mexicans and they got it. A standing room only crowd of 24,624 braved freezing temperatures.

Crew president Mark McCullers had preliminary talks with U.S. Soccer in September and planned to broach the subject again Saturday night. He was thrilled by the February date, although noting the U.S. also won 2-0 vs. Mexico on Sept. 3, 2003, in Columbus in another qualifier.

"The things that applied in 2001 would apply in this situation," he said. "Also, people remember how great that crowd was. There's a lot of reasons why those two things marry up in our favor. We proved to be a great home-field advantage.

"It's our desire to get (a contract) wrapped up as quickly as possible if they're agreeable."