8/5/08
By defeating the rival Houston Dynamo and claiming the SuperLiga 2008 title, the New England Revolution proved that occasionally, the third time actually is the charm.
| Shalrie Joseph 2010/11 Away Replica Jersey |
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By defeating the rival Houston Dynamo and claiming the SuperLiga 2008 title, the New England Revolution proved that occasionally, the third time actually is the charm. After falling to the Dynamo in both the 2006 and 2007 MLS Cup Finals, the Revs sought revenge against their Major League Soccer foe in yet another title match after both clubs reached the pinnacle of the international tournament. Playing in front of a rowdy home crowd at Gillette Stadium on Aug. 5, the Revolution erased the demons of championship games past with a 6-5 win in a penalty shootout after 90 minutes of regulation and two periods of extra time finished tied at 2-2.
With the win, the Revolution became the first MLS team to earn the title of SuperLiga champions, while the triumph also earned the club its second championship crown in as many seasons. The Revolution captured the team’s first-ever cup championship in 2007 when the club defeated FC Dallas in the U.S. Open Cup Final.
The SuperLiga 2008 Final marked the third time in as many seasons that the Revolution and Dynamo met in a championship match. The two previous meetings – the 2006 and 2007 MLS Cup Finals – had been hotly contested matches; the first ended with Houston victorious in a penalty shootout and the second was decided by Dwayne De Rosario’s game-winning goal with just over 15 minutes remaining. The 2008 edition of the Revs-Dynamo title match was no different, as New England and Houston once again needed a penalty shootout to decide the outcome.
The Revs were pushed to the brink throughout the match and twice had to battle back from one-goal deficits – once to force extra time and once to push the game into a shootout. Houston’s Nate Jaqua and Kei Kamara gave the Dynamo the lead on two separate occasions, with goals in the 18th minute and the 98th minute.
Revolution captain Steve Ralston played a part in both goals that pulled New England level. In the 41st minute, Ralston one-timed a Mauricio Castro cross into the far side of the goal to even the game at 1-1. On a free kick in the 102nd minute, Ralston’s service from the left side found a cutting Shalrie Joseph, whose bouncing header beat Dynamo goalkeeper Pat Onstad and nestled into the side-netting to knot the game at 2-2.
Extra time ended with New England and Houston still deadlocked at 2-2. After stepping out to the spot and sending his own penalty-kick attempt over the crossbar, Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis made consecutive saves on Houston’s De Rosario and Brian Ching. However, with the title on the line and a chance for the Revolution to win, Onstad stopped Khano Smith’s attempt to keep the game alive and ultimately send the shootout into sudden death. The clubs then traded successful penalty kicks before defender Chris Albright gave New England a 6-5 lead. Needing to score on his attempt, Corey Ashe – Houston’s eighth shooter – ripped a shot off the crossbar, which secured the SuperLiga title for the Revolution.
Reis, who allowed just three goals in five SuperLiga matches, was named the State Farm Portero Supremo (Supreme Goalkeeper) after finishing first in the competition in shutouts (3), goals against average (0.56), save percentage (.848) and saves (28).
Joseph and Ralston carried the Revolution to the SuperLiga title on the offensive end, as the two veterans combined to record four goals and four assists. The competition’s final marked the third consecutive game in which Joseph scored a goal, as the defensive midfielder’s total tally of three tied him for the lead in the tournament. Joseph scored all three of his goals via his head, and each of his goals was either a game-winning or game-tying strike. Ralston – who led the competition with four assists – saved his best performance for the final, in which he scored New England’s first goal and assisted on the team’s second. Ralston recorded at least one assist in all four of the SuperLiga matches in which he appeared, missing only the group match against Pachuca with a left quad strain.
The Revolution secured a trip to the SuperLiga Final and set up a third championship meeting with the Dynamo after finishing as the top team in Group B. New England earned consecutive 1-0 victories over two of Mexico’s top teams – Santos Laguna and defending SuperLiga champion CF Pachuca – to earn a maximum six points from its first two matches. In its final group game – and only SuperLiga contest not played at Gillette Stadium – the Revolution earned a 1-1 road draw against Chivas USA at Titan Stadium in Fullerton, Calif.
With a trip to the SuperLiga Final on the line, the Revolution squared off against Mexican side Atlante in the semifinal round of the tournament. The two teams entered the match with a somewhat fiery history already between them, as the clubs had met earlier in the year when the Revs played a preseason friendly against Atlante that turned out to be anything but. The Revolution was shown 10 cautions and had both Albright and Jeff Larentowicz ejected, while Atlante picked up one caution and one ejection in the match, a 1-0 victory for Atlante.
Tension continued to boil over between the two clubs in the SuperLiga Semifinal, as New England and Atlante picked up where they left off in the preseason. Although only one caution was shown in the first half of play, the physicality of the semifinal match picked up considerably in the second half. Over the final 45 minutes of play, 10 cautions and four ejections were doled out to the two teams. When the final whistle blew, the two teams engaged in a brief scuffle, but the Revolution had already advanced to the SuperLiga Final with a 1-0 victory courtesy of Joseph’s first-half header.
That triumph sent the Revs to the SuperLiga 2008 Final, where they were finally able to exorcise their championship demons and down the Dynamo in a title match for the first time in three attempts. While New England still yearns for an MLS Cup title, no one will forget celebrating amidst the confetti at Gillette Stadium on that warm August night.
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