7/19/09
| Revolution 2, Chivas USA 0 |
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Shalrie Joseph’s return from injury spurs the Revolution to a shutout victory over Chivas USA, as the Revs claim their first league win since June 7
Kheli Dube knocked in his second regular-season goal on Sunday night to help lead the Revs to the win.
Photo: Keith Nordstrom |
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| Revolution 2010 Away Replica Jersey |
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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Kheli Dube and Steve Ralston scored second-half goals and Matt Reis made three saves to earn his second consecutive shutout, as the New England Revolution defeated Chivas USA, 2-0, on Sunday night at Gillette Stadium.
The win was the Revolution’s (5-5-5, 20 pts.) first league victory since June 7 and snapped a brief three-game winless streak, as the club reached the halfway point of the MLS regular-season at an even .500. Chivas USA (8-6-3, 27 pts.), meanwhile, is now 0-7-1 in its last eight games in all competitions.
Shalrie Joseph returned from injury and provided a spark to the Revs upon his entrance at halftime, as he played a part in both Dube’s game-winner in the 61st minute and Ralston’s insurance goal in the 77th minute.
Chivas USA created the game’s first opportunity in the 12th minute when Paolo Nagamura’s deft chip over the top sent Sasha Victorine on a breakaway. Victorine took the bouncing ball on the volley and blasted a shot toward the left post, but Reis dove full-stretch to his right to make the save.
New England’s attack was quiet early in the game, as an audacious bicycle-kick attempt from Dube in the 22nd minute was the Revolution’s best chance in the opening stages.
The Revs finally created their first dangerous opportunity in the 30th minute, with Ralston and Larentowicz linking up through the middle of the field. Larentowicz’s clever pass found Ralston at the top of the box and the Revs’ captain made a quick move to round Chivas USA defender Carey Talley and free himself in the left side of the box. Ralston chose to cross from a tight angle, however, and the pass was cleared before reaching Kenny Mansally at the back post.
Nagamura and Victorine continued to be the danger men for Chivas USA, as the pair again combined to come close in the 39th minute. Another chip from Nagamura into the box found his teammate streaking through the area, but Victorine’s header was guided wide of the right post.
Neither team was able to make the breakthrough in the opening 45 minutes, however, and the game went into the halftime break scoreless.
New England made one change at halftime, bringing on 2009 MLS All-Star First XI selection Joseph for Pat Phelan. It was Joseph’s first action since June 13, as he missed seven games in all competitions with bone bruising in his right knee. Ralston dropped back into the center of midfield alongside Larentowicz, while Joseph played as a forward.
The move almost paid off 11 minutes into the second half when Joseph fought off Ante Jazic and curled a perfect pass into the path of Dube, who was streaking into the box. Dube made solid contact on his shot, but Chivas USA goalkeeper Zach Thornton came up big to deny the effort.
Thornton could do nothing to stop Dube’s next shot in the 61st minute, however, as Joseph was again the provider to help the Revolution take the lead. Defender Chris Tierney found Joseph with a low pass out of the back, and the Grenada international quickly turned and sent a cutting through ball to Dube. The second-year forward made no mistake with his breakaway effort, curling a low shot inside the far post. With the goal, the Revs ended a 302-minute scoreless streak, the second-longest such streak in club history.
New England continued to control play in the second half and extended its lead to 2-0 in the 77th minute through a bit of good fortune, as Ralston scored his fifth goal of the season to tie Joseph for the team lead. After receiving the ball from Joseph, Dube’s attempted pass appeared to be cut out by Victorine at the top of the box, but the Chivas USA midfielder couldn’t control the ball and it popped free to Ralston, who finished low past Thornton.
Up two goals with just 10 minutes to play, New England tightened up and didn’t allow a shot on goal in the entire second half, ultimately holding on to the shutout victory.
The Revs will return to action on Saturday, July 25, when they’ll travel to Texas to visit the Houston Dynamo at 8:30 p.m. ET at Robertson Stadium.
New England Revolution vs. Chivas USA
July 19, 2009 – Foxborough, Mass. (Gillette Stadium)
Scoring Summary:
NE – Kheli Dube (Shalrie Joseph, Chris Tierney) 61
NE – Steve Ralston (unassisted) 77
New England Revolution (4-4-2): Matt Reis (GK), Chris Tierney, Emmanuel Osei, Darrius Barnes, Kevin Alston, Kenny Mansally (Amaechi Igwe 85), Jeff Larentowicz, Pat Phelan (Shalrie Joseph 46), Sainey Nyassi (Wells Thompson 51), Steve Ralston ©, Kheli Dube
Substitutes Not Used: Brad Knighton (GK), Stephane Assengue, Mauricio Castro, Nico Colaluca
STATS: Shots 13; Shots on Goal 5; Saves 3; Corner Kicks 1; Offsides 3; Fouls Committed 10
Chivas USA (4-4-2): Zach Thornton (GK), Ante Jazic, Carey Talley ©, Bobby Burling (Gerson Mayen 76), Mariano Trujillo (Michael Lahoud 82), Jonathan Bornstein, Paolo Nagamura, Sasha Victorine, Chukwudi Chijindu, Maykel Galindo (Sacha Kljestan 65), Eduardo Lillingston
Substitutes Not Used: Lance Parker (GK), Jorge Flores, Jesse Marsch, Shavar Thomas
STATS: Shots 7; Shots on Goal 3; Saves 3; Corner Kicks 7; Offsides 4; Fouls Committed 18
Misconduct Summary:
CHV – Paolo Nagamura (caution) 44
CHV – Eduardo Lillingston (caution) 75
CHV – Michael Lahoud (caution) 84
CHV – Carey Talley (caution) 92+
Referee: Jeff Gontarek
Referee’s Assistants: Thomas Supple (SAR), Gregory Barkey (JAR)
Fourth Official: Niko Bratsis
Time of Game: 1:55
Weather: Partly cloudy and 82 degrees
Attendance: 10,997
NOTES
- The shutout was the second consecutive clean sheet for the Revs, who have not conceded a regular-season goal since the eighth minute of the 1-0 loss to the LA Galaxy on July 4 … the streak spans 262 minutes, which is the fourth-longest shutout streak in club history.
- Kheli Dube’s 61st-minute goal snapped the second-longest scoreless streak in Revolution history at 302 minutes … the Revs also had a 269-minute scoreless streak earlier this season (April 17 – May 9), which is now the fifth-longest scoreless streak in team history.
- With the win, New England remained undefeated against Chivas USA at Gillette Stadium … the Revs are 4-0-1 against the Goats in Foxborough and have outscored their Western Conference foe, 11-2, in those five matches.
- New England’s 2-1 win over Chivas USA at The Home Depot Center on May 11, 2008, remains the only game in the all-time series in which the visiting team has won.
- Of the Revolution’s 14 all-time goals against Chivas USA, 11 have been scored in the second half … in the 2009 regular season, 13 of the Revolution’s 17 goals have been scored in the second half.
- Sunday night’s match marked the halfway point of the Revolution’s 2009 regular season, as it was the club’s 15th league game.
- The Revs are now 4-1-2 at Gillette Stadium in regular-season action in 2009.
- The Revs have conceded just five goals in seven home games this season for a goals against average of 0.71.
- New England was missing four players because of injury: Taylor Twellman (Disabled List: concussion), Chris Albright (L lateral meniscus surgery), Edgaras Jankauskas (R hamstring strain) and Mike Videira (R quad strain).
- In addition to missing four players through injury, the Revs were also without Jay Heaps, who is with the U.S. National Team for the CONCACAF Gold Cup.
- Sainey Nyassi was replaced by Wells Thompson in the 51st minute when Nyassi aggravated a hamstring strain … Nyassi was listed as “Probable” with a left hamstring strain in Friday’s injury report.
- Mauricio Castro was available on the bench for the first time this season … Castro missed the first 14 games of the season with a series of left hamstring strains.
- Kheli Dube’s goal was his first in the regular-season since scoring the Revolution’s first goal of the season in the 1-0 win over the San Jose Earthquakes on March 21.
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