NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION vs. ATLANTE FC
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 - 8 p.m. ET
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Mass.
SEMIFINAL 2
REFEREE: Carlos Batres (GUA)
ASSISTANT REFEREES: Amato De Luca (CAN); Joe Fletcher (CAN)
FOURTH OFFICIAL: Mark Geiger (USA)
MATCH BACKGROUND
The teams are meeting for the first time in international competition. In fact, neither club had ever met one from the other country in international competition until SuperLiga. The teams have played each other this year, but in a friendly on March 6 in Playa del Carmen, Javier Muñoz Mustafa scoring the only goal (38) in a game where three players were sent off in the 81st minute, two for New England.
The Revolution have never been to a semifinal of an international competition in their existence; their two appearances in the CONCACAF Champions' Cup ended in the round-of-16 (2003) and quarterfinals (2005), losing on both occasions to LD Alajuelense of Costa Rica.
Atlante FC have not appeared in an international competition since 1994, when they lost 3-2 to CS Cartagínes of Costa Rica in the final of the CONCACAF Champions' Cup.
DOMESTIC FORM GUIDE
New England Revolution
The New England Revolution have not played since their SuperLiga group finale, the 1-1 draw with Santos on July 20. Three Revolution players saw action in the MLS All-Star Game last week: midfielder Shalrie Joseph played the entire match, Matt Reis played 70 minutes and Steve Ralston came on as a late substitute. Even with the week away from matches, the Revolution are still hampered by injury issues, with forwards Adam Cristman and Taylor Twellman slowed by toe and hip strains respectively and midfielder Pat Phelan still in question with concussion, though the rest of the lengthy injury list is slowly returning to health. However, defender Michael Parkhurst will not be available for the knockout stage, having joined the U.S. Olympic team for the Beijing Games.
Atlante FC
Atlante FC began the 2008 Apertura by coming from behind to defeat Toluca 2-1 at Estadio Andrés Quintana Roo in Cancún on Saturday evening, getting two goals within five minutes in the second half for the victory. Gabriel Pereyra was considered questionable to play the match, but started and played 67 minutes in a midfield role for the Potros del Hierro, while Mario Alberto García was suspended.
26.07.08: Atlante FC 2:1 CD Toluca FC
With all their talented attackers on show, Atlante reacted after going down by a goal in the first half and came back to defeat Toluca 2-1 in the opener of the 2008 Apertura. Diego de la Torre put Toluca in the 41st minute, heading home a free kick from the corner. But in the 73rd minute, substitute Clemente Ovalle was taken down in the area, and Giancarlo Maldonado converted the resulting penalty to tie the score. Then four minutes later, Luis Gabriel Rey sent a backheel to Alan Zamora, who finished with precision into the left corner for the victory.
