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GILLETTE STADIUM
FOXBOROUGH, Mass.
7:30 pm ET (WB-56; CSN-Chi)
In what could have been a cruel twist of fate, the Chicago Fire could have headed into Gillette Stadium to face the New England Revolution for the second year in a row with a place in the MLS Cup Playoffs riding on the outcome. But the Fire booked their place in the postseason last week in a dramatic draw with the MetroStars, and now the match only serves as a tuneup for next week's Eastern Conference Semifinals. Chicago even knows who it will play, facing D.C. United at Soldier Field in the first leg on Oct. 21. But the Revolution will have to wait 'til the final weekend is over to know whether they will have to prepare for the Kansas City Wizards or the MetroStars.
REFEREE: Abbey Okulaja. SAR (bench): Nate Clement; JAR (opposite): Steven Taylor; 4th: Nik Bratsis
MLS Career: 41 games; FC/gm: 31.1; Y/gm: 3.6; R: 3; pens: 12
Games involving Revolution: P7 W4 L1 T2; FC/gm: 26.9; Y/gm: 4.3; R: 0; pens: 1
Games involving Fire: P2 W0 L1 T1; FC/gm: 24.0; Y/gm: 4.0; R: 0; pens: 0
INJURY REPORT: NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION - PROBABLE: FW Pat Noonan (L calf strain) ... CHICAGO FIRE: OUT: MF Craig Capano (L torn ACL surgery); DF Leonard Griffin (R knee surgery); MF Scott Buete (R fifth metatarsal fracture surgery); DOUBTFUL: GK Matt Pickens (L ankle sprain); FW Nate Jaqua (L ankle sprain); MF John Thorrington (L groin sprain); QUESTIONABLE: GK Zach Thornton (L calf strain)
SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS: NE: Clint Dempsey (9 add'l CP); Pat Noonan (17 CP); Marshall Leonard (18 CP); Shalrie Joseph (10 add'l CP); Andy Dorman (17 CP) ... CHI: Gonzalo Segares (20 CP); Nate Jaqua (16 CP)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (23 meetings): Revolution 10 wins (0 shootout), 37 goals ... Fire 8 wins (0 shootout), 30 goals ... 5 draws
IN FOXBOROUGH: (11 meetings): Revolution 7 wins (0 shootout), 22 goals ... Fire 3 wins (0 shootout), 13 goals ... 1 draw
The Eastern Conference clubs play for the fourth time in league play this season, the second and final time at Gillette Stadium.THIS SEASON
The Revolution claimed victories in the first two meetings between the teams this season, winning once on each ground, a 3-0 victory on April 27 at Soldier Field, then a 2-0 victory at Gillette Stadium 10 days later, before the Fire captured a win in their last meeting, July 9 in Chicago.
In the first meeting, Clint Dempsey gave the Revolution the lead in the 32nd minute, stepping through a pair of Fire defenders by flicking a Shalrie Joseph ball into the air and ripping a full volley into the top right corner past a stunned Zach Thornton.
Pat Noonan then doubled the lead 11 minutes later after Dempsey set off on a rampaging run down the right before slipping the ball to James Riley, who sent a rolling cross into the area. Noonan was on the far side and fired a low, hard shot back across the face of goal inside the far post.
Taylor Twellman scored his 50th career league goal five minutes deep into second-half stoppage time to seal the victory, claiming the ball in midfield and racing in almost unmolested before drilling an angled shot inside the near post from inside the penalty area.
It was a composed, professional performance that kept the Revolution unbeaten on the campaign and still atop the Eastern Conference in a 2-0 home victory against the Fire on May 7.
Pat Noonan righted the New England ship in the 34th minute with a fine goal, cutting through the area from right to left before driving a low shot inside Zach Thornton's left-hand post.
Then the Revolution doubled their lead just before the hour with a well-worked goal, when a Taylor Twellman cross found Steve Ralston, and he flicked the ball over his head to find an onrushing Clint Dempsey at the six. He flicked the ball back over his head, leaving Thornton stranded as the ball flew over his head into the goal.
The teams also met in the fourth round of the U.S. Open Cup, the Fire winning 3-2 in extra time at Lusitano Stadium in Ludlow, Mass.
Andy Herron pounded home a volley to give the Fire an 18th-minute lead, but the Revolution pulled level just four minutes later as Shalrie Joseph headed home a Jose Cancela cross. The Fire then claimed the tie with two goals in four minutes in extra time. C.J. Brown knocked home a deflected corner kick (96) before Herron completed his brace, picking off a weak back pass before finishing calmly. Andy Dorman scored in the final minute from long range to complete the final scoreline.LAST MEETING
At Soldier Field on July 9, the Fire made a statement by taking over the top spot in the Eastern Conference by three points with a 1-0 win, though the Revolution still had three matches in hand. Both teams were missing about half of their first-choice lineups through national team duty and injury.
Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis stood tall, but was unable to keep out the game's only goal just before the hour. A corner came in from the left and defender C.J. Brown dove to head it back into the mixer. Rookie defender Gonzalo Segares controlled it, skipped around a defender and hammered a drive past the diving Reis and a pair of New England defenders standing on the line. It was an MLS-record 11th consecutive game the Fire had scored the opening goal in a match.
Three minutes later the Fire won a penalty kick as Justin Mapp was tripped up by Revolution defender Marshall Leonard. But Reis went to full stretch to turn aside Lubos Reiter's spot kick, yet New England wasn't able to ever find the equalizer. Fire 'keeper Zach Thornton was called upon to make just one save on the night, tipping a Connolly Edozien header off the bar in the 89th minute.
Here's Sarachan's team (4-4-2): Zach Thornton - Logan Pause, C.J. Brown, Jim Curtin, Gonzalo Segares - Justin Mapp (Will John 89), Scott Buete, Jesse Marsch, Leonard Griffin - Chris Rolfe (Andy Herron 70), Lubos Reiter (Chad Barrett 80)
Here's Nicol's team (3-4-1-2): Matt Reis - Jay Heaps, Michael Parkhurst, Marshall Leonard - James Riley, Andy Dorman, Joe Franchino, Ryan Latham (Luke Vercollone 66) - Jose Cancela (Connally Edozien 66) - Taylor Twellman, Khano SmithHISTORY
A year ago, the Revolution won the season series with two wins in the four encounters - including a winner-take-all in the season finale for the fourth and final playoff spot in the East. They played to a 1-1 draw at Soldier Field in the first meeting on July 11 in the first game of a home-and-home set (Ralph 49 pen - Ralston 50), the Revolution claiming a 3-1 victory at home three days later (Dempsey 47, Twellman 51, 67 - Williams 40).
Then on Sept. 25 the Fire grabbed a 2-0 victory at home (Herron 7, 77). They then played in season finale on Oct. 16, where the Fire needed just a draw to secure fourth place in the East, but a quick response to a Fire equalizer in the second half gave the Revolution the last place in the MLS Cup Playoffs (Jaqua 56 - Dempsey 55, Ralston 58).
The Revolution have won seven of the last 12 meetings between the two teams, with a pair of draws in that time. The victory in April was the Revolution's first win at Soldier Field since May 20, 2000.
Coaches record: Steve Nicol vs. CHI: P13 W7 L4 D2 ... Dave Sarachan v NE: P11 W3 L6 T2NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
The New England Revolution came back to claim a 2-2 tie last weekend with the Kansas City Wizards at Arrowhead Stadium, and in doing so ensured the top seed in the Eastern Conference and home-field advantage throughout the MLS Cup Playoffs. The Revolution head into the final weekend with 56 points from 31 matches, the second-best record in MLS, three points ahead of D.C. United but holding the head-to-head tie-breaker if the teams finish the league campaign level.
The Wizards came into their final regular-season home game with a six-game winless run, while the Revolution needed a point and a United loss in the nation's capital to secure the top seed in the East.
After honoring Preki before the match, the MLS original retiring after this season, the Wizards got off to the start they needed with two goals in short order late in the first half. First, in the 28th minute, new signing Antti Sumiala, making his MLS debut, found Josh Wolff in the left side of the area. He skipped inside a defender and lashed a curling shot inside the far post.
Then on 39 minutes Jimmy Conrad doubled the Kansas City lead, stabbing home a deflection from close range after a clearing attempt from New England's Khano Smith on a free kick swung into the area went right into the heart of the goalmouth melee.
But the Revolution pulled a goal back just two minutes later, Jose Cancela bending home a free kick from the top of the box, the first New England goal scored directly from a free kick this season.
New England then secured a share of the points - and with the result in D.C., the top seed - when sheer hustle from Clint Dempsey brought the equalizer, chasing a bounding shot that deflected off a pair of Wizards defenders before knocking home his own second-chance effort.
Revolution boss Steve Nicol made three changes to the team that lost 2-0 to the San Jose Earthquakes at home the previous weekend. Taylor Twellman was with the U.S. national team for its game in Costa Rica, while Pat Noonan and Daniel Hernandez were nursing injuries. Khano Smith came into the team to partner Clint Dempsey in attack, while Jose Cancela and Andy Dorman also returned to the side in midfield.
Here's Nicol's team (3-4-1-2): Matt Reis - Jay Heaps, Michael Parkhurst, Joe Franchino - Steve Ralston, Andy Dorman, Shalrie Joseph, Marshall Leonard - Jose Cancela (Connally Edozien 71) - Clint Dempsey, Khano Smith
"I think we deserve it. We have had some good results at home and away from home. Tonight we should have won, even though we were two down but we felt we could get something," Nicol said. "We said at halftime that 30 of the 45 minutes we played some decent stuff and felt we were in charge. There was just a period of eight to 10 minutes where we lost it and they got both their goals. It took a couple minutes after giving up the second one before we got back in it."TEAM NEWS
Both goals were different types of goals than the Revolution normally score. "We've scored all kinds of goals this year," Nicol said. "We've scored some lovely goals passing and moving and some lovely individual play. And we've scored some scruffy goals."
Jose Cancela and Khano Smith had not been regular fixtures in the New England Revolution lineup heading into the Kansas City match, but both played key roles in the comeback. Cancela had not played at all since Aug. 3 and Smith had not started a game since July 22 and played just 90 minutes since July 9.
Cancela's goal was the first direct free kick goal this season for the Revolution. "I'd certainly like more of it," Nicol said. "He hasn't started for a few weeks. And he's come on tonight and scored a great goal."
Smith partnered Dempsey in attack for the Revolution, instead of Taylor Twellman and Pat Noonan. Twellman was in Costa Rica playing for the United States while Noonan was held out of the lineup with a left calf strain.
"Clint, obviously, has talent. He can play up top and in the middle," Nicol said. "Khano Smith had his best game for us all season. He worked really hard and did some good things."
After moving atop the Eastern Conference in the third week of the season, the Revolution have been there ever since, save for a minor blip just before the All-Star break when they were briefly unseated by the Fire. But they regained the top spot in the weekend before the midsummer recess and have been there since.
"Our goal since the beginning of the season was to make sure we end up in first and put ourselves in the best position to win MLS Cup," Dempsey said. "That is what we set out to do and it would have been a shame if we didn't end up in first after the way we started."CHICAGO FIRE
The Chicago Fire missed out on a chance to move up in the Eastern Conference table and ensured they will finish third in the division, conceding a second-half lead before falling 2-1 to the Columbus Crew in the last-ever league match at Soldier Field. The Fire have 49 points from 31 matches heading into the season finale, four behind D.C. United and six behind East leader New England Revolution.
The Fire came into the final-ever regular-season game on the lakefront still with a chance to improve their lie in the East standings after United's loss to the MetroStars earlier, taking on a Crew team with just one in their last six games.
Goalkeeper Matt Jordan, making his first start of the season, kept things scoreless in the first half when he saved a Jesse Marsch penalty after Gonzalo Segares was hauled down in the area. But he could do nothing about Marsch's finish early in the second half, side-footing from close range after a neat tic-tac-toe passing sequence (51).
Yet the Crew pulled level just four minutes later, Simon Elliott converting from the spot after Segares returned the favor, tripping up Marcus Storey in the Chicago penalty area.
Then in the 76th minute Eric Vasquez once again hit a long-range bomb against the Fire, blasting a piledriver from all of 25 yards past rookie David Mahoney in the Fire goal for the match-winner. It was the rookie's second goal on the campaign, his first coming in a long-range strike July 16 in Chicago.
Fire head coach Dave Sarachan made two changes to the team that played to a 2-2 draw with the MetroStars the previous Wednesday, though he also made a tactical change. Jesse Marsch came into a five-man midfield as Ivan Guerrero was given a rest, while Andy Herron was replaced by Chad Barrett in attack.
Here's Sarachan's team (3-4-1-2): David Mahoney - C.J. Brown, Jim Curtin, Gonzalo Segares - Logan Pause (Jack Stewart 68), Chris Armas, Jesse Marsch (Tony Sanneh 82), Justin Mapp (Will John 46) - Thiago - Chris Rolfe, Chad Barrett
"It's not the result we wanted in our last regular season home game, that's for sure, and we're disappointed about that. Just real simple, we missed a real opportunity tonight," Sarachan said. "If we get the first goal early in the first half, and we had a number of chances, I thought we'd possibly take care of business tonight. Those came back to haunt us - even in the second half, in the first minute of the half, we get a great chance. It's disappointing, but that's all I can say. We just move on from here."TEAM NEWS
Despite looking for the result, Sarachan also used the security of having clinched a place in the MLS Cup Playoffs to give some starters a welcome night off.
"It was a team decision [with Guerrero] - he was just tired. I felt Ivan's put so much into it and this would have been the third game in a week, so I told him to take the night off. He deserved it," Sarachan said. "Justin (Mapp), again, the third game in a week. He's not injured, but he was feeling the effects. He's put so much into these last two games so we felt it was best to make that change with Justin at halftime."
Since sailing through a midseason stretch of 11 matches with an 8-2-1 record and 26 goals during that span, the Fire have gone 4-6-2 in their last 12, while tallying only 16 times. In addition, while the Fire have equaled the MLS record for most scorers on a team in a single season (17), there hasn't been regular production from any of the team's front runners.
"The good part is that we are creating chances, the frustrating part is that we are not finishing enough. I do believe we have the depth up front, but it's a little bit of a concern," said Sarachan.
Sarachan sidestepped the notion that the Fire has little momentum heading into their final match against New England before beginning the playoffs
""It depends how you define momentum. For me momentum means playing good soccer and still establishing a good relationship with the players you are playing with. ... It's hard for me to gauge. We all feel we are a good team. We kind of have to take it game by game. We are coming off a dramatic tie with MetroStars and a loss so we have to prepare to beat New England and get ourselves ready for the playoffs," said Sarachan.
David Mahoney started his third game in goal for the Fire, allowing two goals for the second consecutive week. Sarachan said his corps of 'keepers could be returning to health.
"We hope [Zach Thornton] will be back next week. He's making good progress. It's a delicate thing with a calf, so you just want to be certain. We expect him to be back to training on Tuesday. Matt [Pickens] is also coming around. We think by next week our goalkeeping corps will be up to snuff in terms of the physical part. Matt's been back training, so it's just a matter of getting his rhythm and strength back."
While it was the final league match set for Soldier Field, the Fire will return soon enough, when they play host to D.C. United in the first leg of the Eastern Conference Semifinals on Oct. 21.
"This field has overall been very good to us. It lost a little bit of its mystique for us. We used to never lose here and this year we've had a lot of tough losses that were frustrating," said Jim Curtin. "But we'll all remember it as a place where, when we walked on the field, that we could beat pretty much anybody."DISCIPLINARY INFORMATION
Red card and caution point accumulation suspensions collected in regular season games shall be served in a player's next regular season game.
Any suspensions for yellow card points earned in a player's last regular season game will not carry over into the MLS Cup Playoffs, or into the next league season.
However, any Player who receives a red card in his last game of the season (regular season or playoffs), will serve the one-game suspension during their next game (whether it's during the playoffs, championship game, or in the next regular season game of the following season).
All red card and caution point suspensions will, if necessary, follow a player to a new team.
