Champions League 2010/2011

#	Player	Disciplinary
34	R. Burse (GK)
21	S. Miranda	49'
4	A. Iro
2	R. Balchan
18	R. Rogers
12	E. Gaven
31	J. Gardner
17	E. Ekpo
19	C. Grossman
10	A. Mendoza
20	E. Rentería	72'
Coach: R. Warzycha

#	Player	Disciplinary
18	N. Rimando (GK)
17	C. Wingert
6	N. Borchers	72'
2	T. Beltran	42' 53'
4	J. Olave
8	W. Johnson
5	K. Beckerman	53'
20	N. Grabavoy
11	J. Morales
15	A. Saborío
7	F. Espíndola
Coach: J. Kreis

#	Player	Goals	Disciplinary
13	L. Griffit for E. Gaven 63'
33	J. Cunningham for J. Gardner 75'
9	J. Meram for A. Mendoza 82'

#	Player	Goals	Disciplinary
3	R. Russell for F. Espíndola 59'
77	A. Williams for N. Grabavoy 81'

Minute		Description
90' +4		And there's the full-time whistle from Marrufo. No goals, and a good result for RSL considering they finished with nine players. Should be a tantalizing return leg a week from today.
90' +3		The initial free kick is blocked out, and Rogers' half volley bounces wide.
90' +2		Free kick to the Crew 25 yards out as Olave commits yet another foul, this time on Ekpo.
90' +1		And now confirmation comes that three minutes will be tacked on to the match tonight.
90'		Coming on the end of regular time, but there should be several minutes added on here for the dismissals and injuries.
87'		The service on the corner is poor, though, and RSL are able to clear. Columbus come back and Cole Grossman takes a crack but wide.
86'		Griffit does well to earn a corner on the far side for Columbus.
83'		Williams' first touch is a low cross to the center, but his intended ball for Beckerman is cut out by Burse.
82'		J. Meram enters the game and replaces A. Mendoza.
82'		And while Rimando finishes up his treatment, Justin Meram replaces Mendoza in Columbus' final sub of the game.
81'		A. Williams enters the game and replaces N. Grabavoy.
81'		Cunningham collided with Rimando during the play, and the keeper is down for treatment. Meanwhile, Ned Grabavoy is withdrawn by Kreis in favor of Andy Williams.

Minute		Description
80'		Another free kick for Columbus conceded by Olave, this time for a foul from behind on Griffit. The free kick from Rogers is headed straight up, but Cunningham cannot get a head to it. It was right there for the sub, who came up with air on what would have been a phenomenal debut goal.
78'		Miranda whips in a cross from the right, but the ball sails on him and allows Rimando to catch.
75'		J. Cunningham enters the game and replaces J. Gardner.
75'		And now a big cheer goes up as striker Jeff Cunningham makes his first appearance, replacing Gardner. Cunningham started his career with Columbus in 1998, but has not played for the Crew since 2004.
74'		Free kick to Columbus as Olave comes in late on Rogers.
73'		With Borchers' dismissal, RSL have now seen two defenders dismissed tonight. The pressure will really be on the back as Columbus still have an advantage though their top offensive weapon is now off.
72'		E. Rentería goes off after a red card!
		N. Borchers goes off after a red card!
		And now each side lose a man to red card as Columbus' Rentería and RSL's Borchers are both dismissed for a clash. A punch and a retaliation it would seem.
70'		Gardner's attempted cross from the left is blocked down by Will Johnson. Columbus coach Robert Warzycha will need to infuse some life into this side as they are yet to create a meaningful chance since Beltran's dismissal.
68'		The free kick comes in deep from Morales, but it sails beyond everyone for a goal kick.
67'		Free kick to RSL about 40 yards out as Iro gets an inadvertent elbow into Saborío.
65'		Salt Lake doing a rather nice job considering the disadvantage. The introduction of the extra defender - Russell - seems to have made a difference.
63'		L. Griffit enters the game and replaces E. Gaven.
63'		Columbus now make their first change as Leandre Griffit replaces Gaven.
62'		Long ball forward is controlled by Rentería, but the flag is up on the Ecuadorean striker.
61'		Columbus have organized themselves better now as they look for the decisive strike.
59'		R. Russell enters the game and replaces F. Espíndola.
59'		RSL make their first change out of necessity, with defender Robbie Russell replacing the attack-minded Espîndola.
58'		The ball is loose in the area after a cross from Rogers, but the RSL defense scrambles to clear.
56'		Despite the disadvantage, it's RSL going forward and Saborío lets loose a drive that just misses wide.
54'		In the aftermath of the Beltran dismissal, RSL captain Beckerman is booked for dissent in his protests.
53'		K. Beckerman gets yellow.
		T. Beltran gets a second yellow card and is sent off.
		And now, Beltran is walking off the pitch as Marrufo hands him his second booking of the match for the foul on Gaven. The left back is stunned, as are his teammates, but RSL will have to survive the rest of this game and the second leg without Beltran.
52'		Play is stopped with Gaven down at midfield. He got tangled up with Beltran, who will need to be careful with a yellow already.
51'		Morales takes the free kick, but the wall does its job.
49'		S. Miranda gets yellow.
49'		And now Columbus picks up their first booking as Sebastián Miranda slices down Morales from behind. Free kick to Salt Lake in the center of the pitch about 25 yards from goal.
48'		Another cross from the left by Espíndola, but this time it's Iro there to head clear.
47'		Good cross from the left by Espíndola, but a sliding Balchan makes the clearance for Columbus.
46'		The second half of the match is under way.
45' +2		After just a single minute of added time, Marrufo sounds the whistle for half-time. No score yet, but the chances improved for both sides as the match progressed. Should be an exciting second 45 minutes.
45'		Wingert flings in a cross from deep, but the ball sails on him and goes well high and wide.
43'		Gaven swings in the free kick, and Rimando nervously gathers at the second attempt with several attackers bearing down on him.
42'		T. Beltran gets yellow.
42'		First booking of the match goes to RSL's Beltran for sliding in late on Ekpo.
41'		Columbus spring the counter, but the cross by Rogers is off the mark and over the goal.
40'		Espíndola tripped up on the right by Gardner, and a decent free kick opportunity arises for the visitors. Great ball into the middle by Morales, but the ball is cleared.
38'		Mendoza frees himself at the top of the area, but his right-footed drive goes the wrong side of the crossbar.
37'		Gardner comes forward and crosses to the right-hand post, but it's beyond anyone in a home yellow shirt to latch on. The ball comes back out to Gaven, but his long-distance drive slices into the supporters.
36'		Just under 10 minutes to go in the first half, and only a handful of chances thus far. Both sides are playing this one very cautiously in the early going.
33'		Tony Beltran comes forward from his right back position for Salt Lake, but fails to win a corner against Josh Gardner. Goal kick to Columbus.
32'		Rogers crosses to center from the left for Mendoza, but his header is straight at Rimando.
30'		Great chance gone begging for Columbus. Mendoza does a great job to free himself on the right, and his lofted cross finds a wide open Gaven at the far post. The midfielder, however, fails to direct his snap header on target.
28'		The return leg for this tie will take place a week from today in Utah, the winner going on to face either Saprissa or Olimpia in the semis.
26'		Free kick to Columbus near the left-hand touchline about 30 yards away. Rentería is spun down by Olave as the Crew threaten to break. In the end, though, Gaven's service is poor and straight through to Rimando.
24'		Morales centers for Espíndola, but Andy Iro is on hand to clear. Nice work by the Columbus captain there in his own area.
22'		Play continues, and Olave is back much to the relief of RSL coach Jason Kreis.
21'		A brief stoppage as Olave limps off the pitch. The Colombian center-back would be a big loss for Salt Lake.
20'		Josh Gardner comes forward off the first set piece, and wins another corner off the deflection by Espíndola. This time Gaven takes the inswinger, but it's headed away by Jámison Olave.
19'		First shot on target is off the foot of Rentería, but Rimando is low at his near post to block it out for a corner. Robbie Rogers' lofted corner is headed clear.
18'		Good buildup from Columbus down the right, but a poor touch by Mendoza breaks down the move. RSL try to break, but Espíndola is flagged for offside.
16'		Free kick near midfield to Columbus as Nat Borchers clatters into the back of Emilio Rentería.
14'		The ball deflects several times inside the RSL area, falling eventually to Mendoza who can't quite get a shot off before Rimando gathers.
11'		A bit of a slow start to this encounter as both sides will not want to concede first. The away-goals rule will be used in the knockout phase of the competition, but away goals will not apply once (and if) a tie enters extra time.
10'		Javier Morales floats a long ball forward for Espíndola, but he is squeezed off by two defenders allowing Ray Burse to gather.
6'		And yet another ambitious chance for the visitors as Álvaro Saborío loops a left-footed shot over the top from 25 yards. The Costa Rican has six goals in the competition, but was not close at all to seven there.
5'		First half-chance for RSL as Chris Wingert's left wing cross is headed well wide by Edgar Espíndola.
4'		Eddie Gaven breaks free on the left for Columbus, but his low cross into the six-yard box is gathered by Rimando just ahead of the intended target, Mendoza.
3'		Wild shot by Emmanuel Ekpo at the top of the area goes flying into the stand. Goal kick for RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando.
2'		This is a bit of a barometer game for both sides as it is the first competitive match for each since the end of the 2010 MLS campaign. Their respective seasons are not set to begin until mid-March, and it will be interesting to see the fitness levels of these players.
1'		Marrufo's whistle is not quite frozen yet, and it gets this first leg under way in Columbus. And the Crew attack right off the bat as a cross from the right is volleyed over the top by Andrés Mendoza. He had space at the penalty spot, but couldn't find the target.
		Good evening all, and welcome back to the 2010/11 CONCACAF Champions League! After a winter-long hiatus, the tournament returns tonight for the first leg of the quarterfinal stage with Columbus Crew playing host to MLS rival Real Salt Lake. The hiatus has only provided a bit of respite, however, as the weather tonight at Crew Stadium is quite cold at about 25 degrees Fahrenheit. The MLS offseason has seen several players go in and out of both clubs, but most of the sides from the first half of the tournament remain in tact. The officiating crew tonight is entirely from the United States, led by referee Jair Marrufo.

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	Columbus Crew	Real Salt Lake
Shots on goal	4	0
Shots wide	14	6
Fouls	10	8
Corner Kicks	4	0
Offsides	4	3
Possession	53%	47%

Champions League 2010/2011

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Columbus Crew

0 - 0

Real Salt Lake

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