The Columbus Crew announced today that forward Alejandro Moreno has been called up to the Venezuelan national team for World Cup Qualifying matches vs. Brazil on Oct. 12 and Ecuador on Oct. 15. He joins teammate Frankie Hejduk – who was named to the U.S. roster for its World Cup Qualifier vs. Cuba on Oct. 11 – on international duty for the latest round of World Cup Qualifying matches.

With the call-up, Moreno will participate in his third Venezuelan National Team duty of 2008, after earning his first call-up since 2006 and scoring his first international goal in Venezuela’s 4-1 victory over Syria in an international friendly on Aug. 20. Both matches will take place in Venezuela, beginning on Oct. 12, when Moreno and the Venezuelan side will face perennial powerhouse Brazil at Estadio Polideportivo de Pueblo Nuevo, in San Cristóbal. They will then take on Ecuador on Oct. 15 at General Anzoátegui, in Puerto la Cruz. Moreno, now in his second season with the Crew, has started 25 of 26 matches for the Black & Gold this season, tallying eight goals and four assists. Moreno missed the Crew’s match on Sept. 6 while with the Venezuelan National Team for its WC Qualifying match vs. Peru, a 1-0 loss, in which he came on in the 55th minute. He also started and played the full 90 minutes in Venezuela’s 2-0 setback to Paraguay on Sept. 9. He finished 2007 as the squad’s leading goal scorer with seven goals on the season, and he is also the Crew’s current leader in goals scored for 2008.

Founded by American sports pioneer Lamar Hunt, the Columbus Crew is Ohio's Major League Soccer club, anchoring a diverse sports and entertainment enterprise. One of the league's Charter Members and the U.S. Open Cup champion in 2002, it is in its 13th season overall and 10th in first-of-its-kind Columbus Crew Stadium.

TheCrew.com