Commentary

View from the Sideline: Never-say-die attitude lifts Revolution to critical win

Lee Nguyen vs. D.C. United

I would not have fancied being in the Revs’ locker room at halftime on Saturday night.


According to one insider, Jay Heaps was furious at one of the worst opening 15-minute periods he had witnessed since taking the job and was not quiet in letting his players know about it.


Whatever he said – it worked. Admittedly helped by a couple of questionable calls (isn’t that a welcome change?) the Revs produced the most dominant 45 minutes I have seen this season.


At times they were relentless and there was an inevitability about the comeback, even if it took a little longer than most of us would have liked.


Credit must go to Lee Nguyen, who not only had the bottle to stick his hand up for the second penalty, but followed that brave decision up with another – to dink his spot-kick down the middle.


Matt Reis also pulled out a game-changing moment when he raced back to claw one off the line. That never-say-die attitude has dominated this season.


After some of the decisions the Revs have been on the end of this year it is difficult to feel much sympathy for anyone else. But spare a thought, if you can, for D.C. coach Ben Olsen. He will legitimately think the world is against him after the first penalty call and the decision not to flag Diego Fagundez offside for his leveller. They say these things level themselves out over the course of a season, but with his team sitting not so comfortably at the bottom of the ladder, I’m sure Ben, who exchanged jovial banter with Jay throughout the 90 minutes, will beg to differ.


Houston next Saturday and another must-win at Gillette Stadium in front of what looks to be another big crowd. Bob Ryan wrote a great piece on the Red Sox in Sunday’s Globe about how the best seasons are the ones where the team surprises us. The Sox might not be the only team in New England to do that this year.