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United-Crew Preview

Jul 3, 2009 - 8:11 PM By DAN PIERINGER STATS Writer

D.C. (5-3-8) at Columbus (5-3-7), 7:00 p.m. EDT

A bitter rivalry created by three conference finals meetings in the first four seasons of MLS had faded in recent years with a lack of high-profile matchups between the Columbus Crew and D.C. United.

The clubs' last meeting may have restored some of that intrigue.

In their first matchup since the Crew eliminated United from postseason contention en route to their first MLS Cup title last fall, the top clubs in the Eastern Conference square off in Columbus on Saturday night.

D.C. (5-3-8) defeated Columbus in three consecutive conference championship series from 1997-99, giving MLS one of its first prominent rivalries.

The animosity between the clubs has died down somewhat because they haven't met in the playoffs in nearly a decade, but last season's matchup at Crew Stadium in each team's regular-season finale likely added to the intensity of this weekend's game.

Columbus (5-3-7) won that match 1-0, securing the Supporters' Shield as the team with the best regular-season record while eliminating D.C. from the playoff chase. The Crew went on to win their first championship.

Crew coach Robert Warzycha, a Columbus player for each postseason loss to D.C., feels strongly that his club needs to beat United - and not just because they're at the top of the East standings, one point ahead of the Crew.

"I don't count the points," Warzycha told the team's official Web site. "It's important for us to beat D.C. Whether we'll be in first place or second place is not that important. What is important is to show we are better than them, especially at home. If that gives us more points than them, great. It's just important psychologically to win the game."

Crew assistant coach Mike Lapper expects a battle in the latest installment of the rivalry.

"The way D.C. is playing this year is fantastic," Lapper said of United, leading the league with 25 goals. "They commit a lot of people forward. They attack like crazy. They are a very, very dangerous team and they knock the ball around well. It's going to be a very good test."

This will be United's first league match since falling 3-0 at Colorado on June 20. After getting shut out for the second time this year, coach Tom Soehn admitted his club needed some time off.

"I just felt like we were tired tonight," Soehn told the team's official Web site. "We need a break right now. That's the point we're at. We need to get some guys rest, and we're going to use that time to get everybody where they need to be."

Columbus bounced back from its first loss in 10 games with a 1-0 win over New York last Saturday. The Crew players and coaches received their championship rings prior to the match.

"We don't want to have a bad performance after something like that," said Chad Marshall, who scored the lone goal in the 45th minute. "It was good to get the three points at home and put on a good show for the fans."

Marshall, the 2008 MLS Defender of the Year, and Crew midfielder Robbie Rogers will miss Saturday's game while playing for the U.S. national team in the CONCACAF Gold Cup. They'll be joined by United midfielder Santino Quaranta, the team leader with six assists.