TUCSON, Ariz. – The New England Revolution suffered its first loss in its 2014 preseason schedule tonight when Chivas USA topped the Revs, 3-2, in a group-round match in the Desert Diamond Cup. The Revs built a 2-0 lead behind goals from Lee Nguyen and Teal Bunbury, but the Goats clawed back and saw Mauro Rosales claim the game-winner in the 74th minute off a free kick.
For the first time this preseason, Revolution head coach Jay Heaps use many of his game starters well into the second half and eventually switched out all the starting field players by the 63rd minute.
The starting group buzzed around the field for much of the first half, controlling possession and generating creativity in the attacking half of the field. That spark helped the team build its early two-goal lead.
The Revs had the game’s opening chance in the sixth minute when Nguyen played a long ball over the top of the Chivas USA defense to Diego Fagundez. Fagundez gained position on defender Bobby Burling and got a left-footed shot, but it was narrowly wide of Chivas USA goalkeeper Larry Jackson’s goal.
The pair had a go again in the ninth minute when Nguyen worked to create space between Chivas USA defenders, but his shot deflected into the path of Fagundez, and his shot again went narrowly wide.
A minute later, Nguyen got taken down just outside the box after chasing down a long ball over the midfield from Jose Goncalves, setting up a free kick from 19 yards. He stepped up and his shot found space in the Chivas USA wall and sailed past Jackson for a 1-0 Revs lead.
The Revs pushed the score to 2-0 when Fagundez connected with recent acquisition, Teal Bunbury. Fagundez raced down a ball over the top toward the left sideline and sent a pass in to the on-coming Bunbury. After a touch, Bunbury put his low shot inside the far post to push the Revs’ lead to two goals.
Chivas USA pulled one back in the 26th minute when “El Cubo,” Erick Torres, volleyed home a clearance attempt off the end line. Goncalves tried to backheel a ball along the endline into safety, but his attempt found El Cubo in the heart of the box where he lined up his first-time shot past Bobby Shuttleworth.
The Goats leveled almost 10 minutes into the second half when Shuttleworth saved Torres’ hard-angled shot, but the rebound landed at Carlos Alvarez’s feet and he tapped in for the game-tying goal in the 54th minute.
Mauro Rosales then gave Chivas USA the lead in the 74th minute, capitalizing on a free kick awarded just outside the edge of the Revs’ penalty area. Jerry Bengtson brought down Torres as he chased down a long pass, and Rosales stepped up and curled his in-swinging free kick just inside the far upper 90 of Shuttleworth’s goal.
The Revolution returns to the field Wednesday, Feb. 26, when the team faces the Chicago Fire at 5:30 p.m. ET, in the Desert Diamond Cup. A live stream of that match will be available on revolutionsoccer.net and mlssoccer.com.
MLS Preseason –Desert Diamond Cup
New England Revolution (MLS) vs. Chivas USA (MLS)
February 22, 2014 – North Stadium at Kino Sports Complex
Chivas USA 3, New England Revolution 2
Scoring Summary:
NE – Lee Nguyen (unassisted) 11
NE – Teal Bunbury (Diego Fagundez) 20
CHV – Erick Torres (unassisted) 25
CHV – Carlos Alvarez (unassisted) 54
CHV – Mauro Rosales (unassisted) 74
New England Revolution: Bobby Shuttleworth, Donnie Smith (O’Brian Woodbine 63), Jose Goncalves (Alec Sundly 63), A.J. Soares (Darrius Barnes 58), Kevin Alston (Jossimar Sanchez 63), Scott Caldwell (Paolo DelPiccolo 63), Diego Fagundez (Dimitry Imbongo 63), Kelyn Rowe (Daigo Kobayashi 31, Zachary Herivaux 79), Lee Nguyen (Steve Neumann 63), Patrick Mullins (Jerry Bengtson 63), Teal Bunbury (Marvin Ogunjimi 46)
Substitutes Not Used: Luis Soffner, Pierre Omanga
Chivas USA: Larry Jackson (Trevor Spangeuberg 46), Eric Avila, Bobby Burling, Andrew Jean-Baptiste, Tony Lochhead, Oswaldo Minda (Marco Delgado 88), Daniel Fragoso (Carlos Alvarez 46), Mauro Rosales, Thomas McNamara, Matt Fondy (Leandro Barrera 68), Erick “El Cubo” Torres (Kris Tyrpak 84)
Substitutes Not Used: Andrew Ribeiro, Donald Toia, Caleb Calvert, Dan Kennedy
Misconduct Summary:
NE – Jose Goncalves (caution) 42
CHV – Bobby Burling (caution) 92+
Referee: Jair Marrufo
Assistant Referees: Apolinar Mariscal, Eduardo Mariscal
Fourth Official: Drew Fischer
GAME NOTES
- Following today’s result, the Revs are now 1-1-3 in preseason action in 2014 … the team has two matches remaining in preseason: Feb. 26 vs. Chicago Fire and March 1 in a placement game at the Desert Diamond Cup
- Jose Goncalves served as the team’s captain tonight
- A total of four players were unavailable because of injury or injury precaution: Charlie Davies (calf), Andrew Farrell (foot), Saer Sene (ankle), Chris Tierney (foot)
- Three additional players were rested: Andy Dorman, Stephen McCarthy and Brad Knighton
- Tonight was the Revolution debut for Teal Bunbury, whom the Revs acquired on Wednesday in a trade with Sporting Kansas City
