Soccer By Ives

SuperLiga: Fire 2, Revolution 1 (A Look Back)

(The Chicago Fire booked its place in the 2009 SuperLiga Final on Wednesday with it's 2-1 victory against an injury-depleted New England side. The Fire will now face Tigres in the final on Aug. 5. SBI correspondent was at the semifinal and gives us his report on the match.)

 

By CARL SETTERLUND

In soccer terms, being on the wrong side of thirty is an indicator that a player is in decline and can’t quite have the effect on the game that they used to. Yesterday, at Gillette Stadium, it was a bunch of thirty-somethings that put their stamp on the SuperLiga semifinals as a Cuauhtemoc Blanco free kick helped Chicago overcome a feisty New England squad, 2-1, to give the Fire its first chance at hardware this season.

Revolution 4, Red Bulls 0: A Look Back

By CARL SETTERLUND

It was a historic day for the New England Revolution and a forgettable one for the New York Red Bulls on Sunday.

Taylor Twellman (100 goals), Jay Heaps (300 appearances) and Matt Reis all reached major career milestones in a game where it really seemed like a healthy Revs squad could recapture that magic of yesteryear that’s helped them to so many memorable seasons.

Twellman named MLS Player of the Week

New England Revolution striker Taylor Twellman scored his first two goals of the 2009 season, including his 100th career goal, to help the Revs beat the New York Red Bulls, 4-0, on Sunday. The performance earned Twellman MLS Player of the Week honors.

Twellman became the youngest player to score 100 goals (29 years, 100 days) and scored 100 in the fastest time (174 games).

Twellman has worked his way back from a neck injury that sidelined him since late last season, but he looks ready to get back to his old goal-scoring ways.

What do you think of Twellman's comeback? Think he will reclaim his place as one of the league's top strikers? See him getting back into the national team picture?

Share your thoughts below.

Red Bulls at New England Revolution: Your Running Commentary

The New York Red Bulls are in Gillette Stadium today to take on the New England Revolution (6pm, MSG) in what has to be considered a must-win game if the Red Bulls are to try and keep their faint playoff hopes alive.

Yes, it is only June 7th, but the Red Bulls are losing more and more ground in the Eastern Conference standings and a loss to the Revs today will bury New York even deeper in the basement.

New England is coming off a comeback victory against D.C. United that came, at least in part, with the help of Major League Soccer's trademark shaky officiating. That doesn't mean the Revs aren't playing better, and the return of Taylor Twellman has New England ready to make a run up the standings.

If you will be watching today's match please feel free to share your own thoughts, opinions and play-by-play in the comments section below.

Enjoy the action.

New England 2, D.C. United 1: A Look Back

By CARL SETTERLUND

New England needed a little help from the referees, but a last-minute penalty, coolly finished by the incomparable Steve Ralston, was just the break they needed to snap out of their six-game winless skid and grab a 2-1 win over D.C. United.

Taylor Twellman made his first appearance of the year, subbing in for Jeff Larentowicz (concussion) in the 25th minute and he might have had the biggest impact on the game out of anyone, even though it won’t show up in the box score. Twellman drew two defenders and goalie Josh Wicks to him on the first goal, which allowed Shalrie Joseph to make a free run into the box and head home a Kenny Mansally in the 55th, and he also drew the 89th minute penalty to set up the game-winner.

Fred had a stunning 36th minute goal that we’ll talk more about a little bit later, and United definitely looked sharp offensively and held the momentum in the first half. They came out a little flat though in the second half and that left the door open for the Revs to come back and grab three points.

D.C. United are still in healthy shape at 3-2-7 (16 points) and although the Revolution sit a little lower in the standings at 3-3-4 (13 points), they’ve got two games in hand over most of the Eastern Conference so they’re not in terrible shape either.

On to some thoughts about the game:

Guevara brace leads Toronto FC past Revs

Amado Guevara scored two goals to help Toronto FC post a 3-1 victory over New England at BMO Field on Saturday afternoon.

The Revs opened the scoring with a Shalrie Joseph header in the 13th minute, but Guevara responded with an equalizer a minute later. Dwayne DeRosario scored the game-winner in the 68th minute on one of Danny Dichio's two assists before Guevara settled matters with a 70th-minute strike.

What did you think of TFC's victory? Impressed with the Canadians? Finally start to believe that the Revs are in serious trouble?

Share your thoughts below.

Revolution 1, Rapids 1: A Look Back

 

                                                                               Photo by ISIphotos.com

 

By CARL SETTERLUND

The losses have stopped for the New England Revolution, at least for now, but victories are still proving extremely difficult to find for a short-handed Revs team lacking firepower.

A draw against an improved Colorado team should be taken as a modest result, but it doesn't erase the fact that New England just doesn't look very dangerous these days. The Revs fell behind for the second straight week before Steve Ralston buried an 18th-minute penalty. That makes five games the Revs have gone without a win, the lowlight a 6-0 loss at Real Salt Lake.

It might be a little early to strip New England’s “perennial contender” status, but with Matt Reis, Taylor Twellman and Chris Albright just some among the walking wounded they need to get healthy and they need to do it quickly because the offseason departure of Michael Parkhurst has left little room for error. Here are some thoughts on both New England and Colorado:

Fire 1, Revs 1: A Look Back

By SAM STEJSKAL

When the Chicago Fire and the New England Revolution renewed their rivalry Saturday night at Toyota Park, one team kept up a frustrating streak, while the other halted its own disappointing stretch.

When the match finished tied, 1-1, Fire fans had to start feeling like they were going through their own version of Groundhog's Day, as they watched the same scenario of inconsistent play, flashes of attacking skill and costly defensive miscues to record a fifth straight tie.

The Fire opened up the scoring in the 36th minute when defender Wilman Conde was able to slide a left footed shot past New England goalie Matt Reis.

But once again, the Fire was unable to hold a home lead, and the Revs equalized in the 49th through Shalrie Joseph. Joseph, who was playing striker for the injury-ridden Revolution, found himself unmarked only 6 yards from goal, and after a deflected shot landed at his feet, he calmly finished for his second goal of the year.

Real Salt Lake mauls New England in six-goal rout

 

                                                                          Photo by ISIphotos.com

Real Salt Lake was coming off a shutout loss and was 52 minutes into its game against New England without finding the net. Then a goal finally came from defender Jamison Olave.

Then came another. And another. And another.

Real Salt Lake rattled off SIX goals from six different players in 36 minutes on its way to a 6-0 thrashing over a previously unbeaten Revs team that came into the match having given up just three goals in four matches.

Clint Mathis, Yura Movsisyan, Luis Miguel Escalada, Andy Williams and Robbie Findley followed up Olave with goals of their own to help push RSL to 3-2 and 3-0 at Rio Tinto Stadium.

We'll post highlights on Sunday. For now, feel free to share your thoughts on Real Salt Lake's blowout in the comments section below.

New England at D.C. United: Your Running Commentary

The New England Revolution is in Washington D.C. tonight, putting its unbeaten record on the line against a D.C. United team coming off its first loss of the season.

Can D.C. United rebound with Ben Olsen and Jaime Moreno back in the fold? Will New England come in strong after enjoying a bye week?

If you will be watching tonight's match please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.

Enjoy the action.

Red Bulls vs. New England: Match Night Commentary

Good Evening folks. The New York Red Bulls take on the New England Revolution tonight in a key Eastern Conference showdown. The Red Bulls need to rebound from their embarrassing opening-day loss to Seattle while New England is looking to build some momentum after its opening victory vs. San Jose.

We will be providing commentary throughout the match, but as always, please feel free to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.

Enjoy the match:

Reis late scratch vs. Red Bulls

                                                   Photo by ISIphotos.com

BY DYLAN BUTLER

Good evening from Giants Stadium. Both the New York Red Bulls and New England Revolution are on the field warming up and there is one rather large surprise.

Brad Knighton is starting in goal for the Revs. Matt Reis is a late scratch, suffering "pain and swelling in his right knee," according to a Revs official and is scheduled to have a scan on Monday. Brad Knighton will be making his Major League Soccer debut.

With that one very big exception, Stevie Nicol sends out the same XI that stepped on the field in a 1-0 win at San Jose last week. They are: Kevin Alston, Darrius Barnes, Chris Tierney, Jay Heaps' Wells Thompson, Jeff Larentowicz, Shalrie Joseph, Sainey Nyassi; Kenny Mansally, Kelli Dube.

Here is the Red Bulls starting XI: Danny Cepero; Danleigh Borman, Carlos Mendes, Kevin Goldthwaite, Jeremy Hall; Khano Smith, Sinisa Ubiparipovic, Luke Sassano, Dane Richards; Mac Kandji, Juan Pablo Angel.

We'll have more about Reis as the information comes in.

Smith on Revs: I don't hate them, but I don't like them

 

                                                       Photo by ISIphotos.com

BY DYLAN BUTLER

Khano Smith wasn't about to engage in any Dema Kovalenko-type trash talk about former head coach Stevie Nicol or anyone from the New England Revolution. He said he remains friends with many of his former teammates and credits Nicol and Paul Mariner with helping to advance his career.

But come Saturday night at 7:30 p.m., those friendships are out the window when one of the most intense rivalries in Major League Soccer is renewed at Giants Stadium.

"It's going to be strange because, being on the other side, we hated each other," Smith said. "I don't hate them, but playing for New York, I can't like them. I don't like them anymore. I can't. It should be fun."

MLS Pre-season: A look around the Eastern Conference

As we move to within three weeks of the start of the 2009 MLS season, all 15 MLS teams are in the heart of their pre-season preparations. Clubs have scattered the globe, from Argentina to England, as they prepare for their run at the MLS Cup trophy.

We here at SBI will try to keep you posted on as much of the league's pre-season activity as possible. This morning we will take a tour of the Eastern Conference for some news and notes about the seven teams in the East:

Columbus Crew

The Crew is set to depart for England, where the team will spend two weeks training and playing in some pre-season matches. After a successful run of results in Florida against some local college teams, Columbus will be in England playing a series of matches against the likes of Liverpool's and Everton's reserve teams. The Crew has bid farewell to rookie Jordan Seabrook.

The Columbus Dispatch is reporting that the Crew have once again inquired about defender Eric Brunner, who the New York Red Bulls hold the rights to. Are the Red Bulls really asking for too much, or could this be payback for the Red Bulls' failed attempts to trade for the rights of former Seton Hall midfielder Teddy Niziolek?

Shrewd Revs land goalkeeper

The New England Revolution might have found an understudy for standout goalkeeper Matt Reis and didn't even cost them a draft pick.

The Revs signed UMass goalkeeper Zach Simmons on Friday, landing one of the most highly-regarded college goalkeepers in the nation last season.

So how did New England swing that one? The word on Simmons before the MLS Draft was that he was planning to stay in school and wasn't likely to pursue a professional career. The 2008 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America of the Year bypassed the MLS Combine and went undrafted, which allowed the 6-foot-3 shot stopper to fall to New England.

MLS Notes: Veris trials with D.C., Hertel finds a club and Seattle signs Graham

 

Good morning everybody. As MLS teams begin to report for rookie training camp and full training camp in the coming days and weeks, we here at SBI will try to keep you posted on any news and notes that emerge from those camps.

Veris on trial with D.C. United

Former Los Angeles Galaxy defender Kyle Veris has joined with D.C. United on trial and will be hoping to secure an MLS contract after leaving the league and spending a season with Norwegian club Hodd. A 6-foot-4 central defender who spent the 2006 and 2007 seasons with the Galaxy, playing in 18 games before leaving for Norway.

Here is the rest of D.C. United's initial pre-season roster, courtesy of Behind the Badge.

Here are some other stories to get your day going: