TUCSON, Ariz. – Defensive shape has been a primary focus for the New England Revolution through the early stages of preseason, and that was the case once again on Tuesday afternoon when the Revs closed out their first Arizona trip with a friendly against Sporting Kansas City.
But sharpness also becomes a focus as preseason progresses, and the Revs showed growth in that department on Tuesday. Kei Kamara scored his third goal in three preseason games – and hit the crossbar with another effort – while unsigned rookie Josh Smith buried a header in the Revs’ 2-1 win.
“That always seems to be the last thing that comes around in preseason,” said Chris Tierney, who assisted on Smith’s goal and provided the cross for Kamara’s header that hit the bar. “You work on organization, being in the right positions, and hope you sharpen up technically as preseason goes on.
“I think you saw a little more creative play today, a [few] more chances, and we scored two goals, which was good.”
The Revs have now scored five goals in their first three preseason games – and another in an abbreviated 60-minute scrimmage – while they’ve conceded just twice, but head coach Jay Heaps admits there’s still plenty more progress to be made ahead of the March 4 season opener in Colorado.
“Today we had moments of that and we looked a little bit sharper at times,” said Heaps. “But you’re still dealing with a lot of heavy legs because we’re pushing the guys. It’s not like we’re taking time off in between each game; we’re really pushing them in between.”
Set-piece success an encouraging sign through first half of preseason
Of the five goals the Revolution have scored against MLS opposition this preseason, two have been from set pieces.
On Tuesday, Smith floated to the back post to get on the end of Tierney’s free kick from the left channel, powerfully heading home under the crossbar. Last Friday against the New York Red Bulls, Kamara rose above a crowd to nod Lee Nguyen’s corner kick into the back of the net.
While it’s still very early in preseason, it’s an encouraging sign from a Revs perspective.
“It’s always an important part of the game,” said Tierney. “We spend a lot of time on it. If we can steal some goals that way this year, that’ll be a bonus. It’s a really important part of the game both offensively and defensively, so we work hard on it, and we’ll continue to do so.”
Watson returns from international duty with 45-minute performance against SKC
Je-Vaughn Watson has been a busy man.
Last Friday he was in Chattanooga, Tennessee, wearing the captain’s armband and playing 90 minutes for Jamaica in a 1-0 loss to Juan Agudelo and the U.S. National Team. On Saturday, he was back with the Revs in Casa Grande, Arizona, and by Monday he was back on the training field.
On Tuesday, Watson played the second half of the Revs’ 2-1 win over Sporting KC, featuring both in central midfield and central defense.
“To be honest, I’m really tired,” Watson said with a smile. “But it’s preseason. You’re supposed to be tired.”
Revs head home – briefly – before returning to Tucson for Desert Diamond Cup
After 10 days in Casa Grande and two more in Tucson, the Revs will head back to the Northeast on Wednesday for a brief respite, before returning to Tucson next Monday. The second trip will feature four games as the Revs participate in the Desert Diamond Cup for a sixth straight year.
The time at home signals a shift in preseason preparation, as the Revs move toward their final phase of training before the regular season kicks off in just a little more than three weeks.
Tuesday’s triumph over Sporting KC – improving the Revs’ preseason record to 3-0-1 – was a positive way to begin that transition.
“It was a good end to the camp to make sure that we accomplished something,” said Heaps. “Now it’s a matter of making sure that we reset, get back, and make sure that we’re ready to move on to the next Tucson trip.”
