The New England Revolution Reserves (5-2-2, 17 pts.) defeated the Columbus Crew Reserves (3-4-1, 10 pts.) 3-2 on Sunday morning at Wrentham State School. Easton Wilson scored the deciding goal in the 67th minute after the visitors played a man down for 68 minutes of the MLS reserve division match.
Columbus went on the attack early, capitalizing in the 3rd minute when midfielder Knox Cameron lobbed a first-time volley over Revolution goalkeeper Doug Warren after an angled cross from deep on the right flank by Crew right back Domenic Mediate.
The Crew went close to putting a second goal on the board after Revolution defender Avery John received a yellow card for pulling down Columbus forward Devin Barclay at the top of the box. However, the resulting free kick sailed wide.
Twenty minutes into play, the Revolution found a rhythm in their passing game and increased their attacking pressure. After a giveaway by Crew defender Stephen Armstrong, Revolution forward Khano Smith picked up the loose ball and passed to Uruguayan midfielder José Cancela, whose shot to the far post was saved by Columbus goalkeeper Matt Jordan.
The game's most critical moment came in the 22nd minute when Mediate was ejected from the game for a deliberate handball in the penalty area, meaning the Crew would play a man down for the remaining 62 minutes. Jordan came off his line to make an initial save on Smith after the Revs forward received a pass from forward Connally Edozien. After the rebound landed at his feet, Smith rounded the keeper and hit a hard shot on the frame of goal that was saved by a diving Mediate who illegally used his hand. Cancela then stepped up to the penalty spot and struck a hard low drive to the corner netting, beating Jordan to his left and tying the match at 1-1.
It did not take long for New England to take advantage of the 10-man Crew. In the 23rd minute, Smith carried the ball down the left flank to the byeline and crossed to a wide-open Edozien who slotted home from three yards out, giving New England a 2-1 lead.
The Revolution continued to create goalscoring opportunities through the rest of the first half. After Columbus' Mario Rodriguez fouled New England's Ricardo Phillips in the 29th minute, midfielder Andy Dorman blasted a free kick that froze Jordan but rattled off the top-left corner of the post. Smith then played a give-and-go with midfielder Gilberto Flores, but Smith's shot hit the side netting. In the 41st minute, Jordan denied Edozien with a diving save after Edozien was in alone on a breakaway courtesy of a through ball by Smith.
Shortly before the first-half whistle, the Crew's Cameron controlled the ball back-to-goal on the right side of the penalty area off an Edson Buddle throw-in. Cameron found Barclay with a lay-off pass in the center forward channel and Barclay drove a shot from 16-yards out that beat Warren, sending the two sides into halftime at 2-2.
The Crew, however, kept the game even despite playing down a man. Columbus had an opportunity when Buddle hit a shot off the far post in the 48th minute and then again in the 59th minute on a Cameron volley off a corner kick that was tipped over the crossbar by Warren.
In the 63rd minute, Flores made a solo run through the center channel and then struck a shot from 23 yards out which went wide left of the goal frame.
The game-winner came in the 67th minute when Revs midfielder Luke Vercollone lofted a cross from the left wing into the penalty box. Smith knocked the ball down with a far post header across the face of goal and substitute Easton Wilson slotted home at the right post for the final goal in the Revs' 3-2 victory.
Columbus stepped up the pressure as they attempted to score an equalizer. Their best opportunity came in the closing minutes was a 82nd minute free kick by Armstrong that sailed over the crossbar.
New England's reserves are in action next against the MetroStars Reserves on Sunday, September 18 at 10 a.m. The Crew Reserves play next in Utah on Sunday September 25 when they take on the Real Salt Lake Reserves.
Scoring Summary:
CLB - Cameron (Mediate) 3
NER - Cancela (penalty kick) 23
NE - Edozien (Smith) 25
CLB - Barclay (Buddle) 45
NER - Wilson (Smith, Dorman) 67
Lineups:
CLB: Matt Jordan (GK), Stephen Armstrong, Chris Wingert, Domenic Mediate, Mario Rodriguez (Luis Gallardo, 73), Marcus Storey (Brian O'Rourke, 80), Eric Vasquez, Devin Barclay, Jamal Sutton, Knox Cameron, Edson Buddle.
NER: Doug Warren (GK), Avery John, Jeff Larentowicz, James Riley, Luke Vercollone, Gilberto Flores (Easton Wilson, 65), Andy Dorman, José Cancela, Ricardo Phillips, Connally Edozien, Khano Smith.
Misconduct Summary:
NER- Avery John (Yellow) 17
CLB - Dominic Mediate (Red) 22
NER - Connolly Edozien (Yellow) 39
NER - Jeff Larentowicz (Yellow) 82
Referee: Niko Bratsis
Weather: Sunny, 78 degrees
