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Crew-Rapids Preview

Jul 31, 2009 - 7:48 PM By MATT BEARDMORE STATS Writer

Columbus (7-3-9) at Colorado (7-5-6), 9:30 p.m. EDT

The Columbus Crew have been unbeatable at home lately. They'll look to carry that level of play to the road Saturday night when they go for an elusive second straight victory at Dick's Stadium over the Colorado Rapids.

Eastern Conference-leading Columbus (7-3-9) rallied past Toronto FC 3-2 last Saturday, setting an MLS record by going unbeaten in 19 straight home matches. San Jose held the previous record of 18, set during 2004 and '05.

"In the end we pushed for the win, and we got rewarded," said Crew coach Robert Warzycha, whose team plays four of its next six on the road.

Steven Lenhart scored the equalizer in the 76th minute and Jason Garey headed in a ball from captain Frankie Hejduk in stoppage time as Columbus improved to 3-0-2 since a 2-1 road loss to FC Dallas on June 20.

With Alejandro Moreno (groin) and reigning MLS MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto (left hamstring) out the past two games, Lenhart and Garey combined for five of the team's six goals during that span.

"I think right now we're making the coach's job very difficult," Garey said of the Crew's offensive depth. "Who is he going to pick? It's a better situation than knowing who he's going to start every game."

Schelotto is expected to miss Saturday's match. Warzycha has not announced if Moreno will play.

In Columbus' last road game against the Rapids, Lenhart and Garey scored in a 2-0 victory July 27, 2008, as the Crew won in Colorado for the first time since July 4, 1999.

Crew midfielder Adam Moffat returned against Toronto after missing 12 games with a hamstring injury, and the team is also expecting 2008 defender of the year Chad Marshall and midfielder Robbie Rogers to be in the lineup Saturday. Both missed the past four matches due to international duty.

Colorado (7-5-6) goes for its third straight home victory following its most lopsided match of 2009. The Rapids defeated visiting New York 4-0 on Saturday as the defending Eastern Conference champion tied its league record with a 12-game winless streak.

"They are going through a difficult time," said Colorado coach Gary Smith, whose club is 5-1-3 at home. "We certainly took advantage of it."

Jacob Peterson, Pat Noonan, Nick LaBrocca and Mehdi Ballouchy found the back of the net as the Rapids posted their highest goal total since a 5-4 victory over the Red Bulls on Sept. 27.

Noonan's goal was his first with Colorado since being acquired from Columbus on June 15.

Rapids leading scorer Conor Casey returns Saturday after yellow-card accumulation sidelined him against New York. Casey scored the equalizer in the 82nd minute of a 1-1 draw at Columbus on April 11.

Colorado signed midfielder Jamie Smith on Tuesday and waived midfielder Terry Cooke.