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Columbus Crushes Rsl To Grab Share Of East Lead
posted 11:10 pm Sat August 23, 2008 -
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(Sports Network) - Guillermo Barros Schelotto scored and added his league-leading 13th and 14th assists to lift the Columbus Crew to a 3-0 victory over Real Salt Lake and into a first-place tie in Major League Soccer's Eastern Conference on Saturday.
Schelotto, who played just 63 minutes, converted a penalty kick for his fifth goal of the year and assisted on goals by Chad Marshall and Brad Evans at Crew Stadium.
Columbus (11-6-4) moved level in points for first with New England, which tied Toronto FC 1-1 on Saturday night.
Real Salt Lake (7-8-6), which lost the top spot in the Western Conference last week after a 4-3 loss to the Houston Dynamo, slipped below .500. Houston is the only team in the West with a winning record.
Schelotto set up the first goal 15 minutes into the match with a cross from the left side. Marshall ran onto the ball at the far post and headed in his third goal of the season from about five yards out.
The Crew extended their lead in the 25th minute when Real's Nate Borcher fouled Eddie Gaven in the penalty area and Schelotto converted from the spot.
Evans sealed Columbus' win, its third in its last four matches, with his fourth goal of the year in the 55th minute. Gaven and Schelotto each picked up assists on the goal.
Columbus and New England hold a two-point cushion over Chicago in the East. The Crew will try to move ahead of New England on Aug. 30 when they visit Dallas.
Real Salt Lake, which lost two straight for the first time since May, is still second but trails Houston by seven points. RSL will try to rebound on Friday in Utah against the Colorado Rapids.
Copyright 2008 The Sports Network
All rights reserved
Columbus (11-6-4) moved level in points for first with New England, which tied Toronto FC 1-1 on Saturday night.
Real Salt Lake (7-8-6), which lost the top spot in the Western Conference last week after a 4-3 loss to the Houston Dynamo, slipped below .500. Houston is the only team in the West with a winning record.Schelotto set up the first goal 15 minutes into the match with a cross from the left side. Marshall ran onto the ball at the far post and headed in his third goal of the season from about five yards out.
The Crew extended their lead in the 25th minute when Real's Nate Borcher fouled Eddie Gaven in the penalty area and Schelotto converted from the spot.
Evans sealed Columbus' win, its third in its last four matches, with his fourth goal of the year in the 55th minute. Gaven and Schelotto each picked up assists on the goal.
Columbus and New England hold a two-point cushion over Chicago in the East. The Crew will try to move ahead of New England on Aug. 30 when they visit Dallas.
Real Salt Lake, which lost two straight for the first time since May, is still second but trails Houston by seven points. RSL will try to rebound on Friday in Utah against the Colorado Rapids.
Copyright 2008 The Sports Network
All rights reserved
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