San Jose Earthquakes vs. Columbus Crew
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. PT at Buck Shaw Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif.
Television: Comcast SportsNet California
Radio: 1590 KLIV (English), 1370 KZSF (Spanish)
Presenting Sponsor: Kaiser Permanente
Giveaway Items: Pedometers (2,500), Quakes Matchday Issue 2 with player card
Themes: Health & Wellness Night Presented by Kaiser Permanente (Kaiser Permanente will be providing health and wellness tips to Quakes fans throughout the game, honoring the teachers and individuals who participated in Get Earthquakes Fit this semester on the field, and will also have activities for kids in the Epicenter); Night of Champions (CYSA)
T-Mobile 4G Power Zone: The T-Mobile 4G Power Zone rebranding of Corner Flag Section 107 offers the most affordable Earthquakes tickets available to the public at 41 participating T-Mobile stores throughout the Bay Area. For more information, visit www.sjearthquakes.com/t-mobile-4gpowerzone.
Epicenter Fan Zone
Gourmet Food Trucks: El Tonayense, BBQ Kalbi, Speedy Panini, Twisted Chill, Curry Up Now, Grillaz Gone Wild
Activities: Kaiser Permanente Kids Course, inflatables, face painting, sign making, foosball
Special Booths: Kaiser Permanente, County of Santa Clara Household Hazardous Waste, Santa Cruz Beach Soccer, InnVision the Way Home
Community: Community booth with silent auctions for merchandise signed by Earthquakes players and/or VIP experiences with Earthquakes players; participant and volunteer registration for Earthquakes 5K/10K Challenge on May 27 (register today at quakeschallenge.com).
Columbus Crew Scouting Report
Columbus (3-4-2, 11 pts.) is coming off of a come-from-behind, 2-1 victory over 10-man FC Dallas at Crew Stadium on Saturday. The Crew got first career MLS goals from second-year forward Justin Meram and Chilean defender Sebastian Miranda to grab the three points.
Columbus wasted little time in capitalizing after the visitors suffered a red-card ejection in the 63rd minute, as Meram, an injury substitution late in the first half, fired from distance following an Eric Gehrig steal in the 67th. Miranda capped the rally five minutes later with a snapped header assisted by Nemanja Vukovic.
Meram’s strike ended a scoreless streak of 263 minutes for Columbus. Andy Gruenebaum, playing in the season-long injury absence of William Hesmer, made two saves in goal for the Crew. Columbus is 1-2-2 over its last five, and 1-2-1 away from home in 2012. Eddie Gaven has two of the Crew’s eight goals, while Vukovic has two assists.
Of Note
-San Jose is 4-0-1 at Buck Shaw thus far on the year, outscoring opponents by a count of 13-6. The Quakes are undefeated at Buck Shaw through their last eight (6-0-2) dating back to 2011, and had a club-record streak of eight straight sellouts at the venue snapped on April 21.
-The Earthquakes (7-2-2, 23 pts.) are in second-place in the MLS Western Conference. Real Salt Lake (8-3-2, 26 pts.) tops the standings, but has still played two more games than the Quakes.
-Through 10 weeks of the 2012 MLS season, the Earthquakes are second behind the New York Red Bulls (23) with 22 goals scored. They lead the league with 25 assists. With 12 scores conceded, the Quakes boast the top goal differential in MLS at +10.
-At 7-2-2 and 23 points, this is the best 11-game start to a year in the San Jose Earthquakes’ 15-season club history. In both MLS Cup campaigns of 2001 and 2003, the Quakes trotted out to a 6-2-3 start for 21 points. They were 6-3-2 (20 pts.) to open 2002.
-Chris Wondolowski remains alone atop the 2012 Budweiser Golden Boot race with 11 goals. Kenny Cooper and Thierry Henry of the New York Red Bulls share the second spot at nine goals apiece. Wondolowski is two goals shy of No. 50 in an Earthquakes uniform.
-Jon Busch has yet to concede a goal over three matches and 270 minutes of play against the Columbus Crew as the San Jose net-minder. The veteran keeper began his MLS career with the Crew back in 2002, and played a total of five seasons in Columbus.
Earthquakes – Columbus Crew Connections
-Quakes forward Steven Lenhart played the 2008, 2009 and 2010 seasons with the Columbus Crew after being chosen No. 48 overall (Round 4) during the 2008 MLS SuperDraft. Lenhart produced 13 goals and four assists over 63 total appearances for the Crew, scoring four times in 10 games during the club’s MLS Cup championship season as a rookie in 2008. Lenhart was acquired by the Quakes from Columbus in a draft-day trade on Jan. 13, 2011.
-Quakes goalkeeper Jon Busch also began his MLS career in Columbus, making 84 appearances with 25 shutouts there from 2002-06. As a rookie in 2002, Busch played with current Crew head coach Robert Warzycha.
-Quakes midfielder Khari Stephenson (26) and Crew defender Shaun Francis (five) have both earned full caps for the Jamaican national team.
-Crew defender Chad Marshall played college soccer at Stanford.
-Quakes midfielder Tressor Moreno and Crew defender Sebastian Miranda and midfielder Milovan Mirosevic have played professionally in Chile.
-Quakes assistant coach Mark Watson made 14 appearances, all starts, for Columbus in 1996.
Mobile Apps
MLS MatchDay 2012 – The official Major League Soccer app, providing up-to-the-minute score updates, in-game highlights, news and more.
Yorder – A free app that allows fans to order food and beverages and souvenirs from their seat at Buck Shaw Stadium.
@SJEarthquakes – Official account of the San Jose Earthquakes (#SJEarthquakes)
@QuakesMatchday – NEW! this season, follow for live updates on game days
@ColumbusCrew – Official account of the Columbus Crew (#Crew96)
