Revolution One Step Closer to Playing for MLS Cup
HARRISON, N.J. – The Revolution have gone this way before – they are on the verge of advancing to their fifth MLS Cup after a 2-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls Sunday – but they have never taken such a high-scoring route.
This was the Revolution’s third successive multiple-goal game, Jermaine Jones converting the decider in the 86th minute, at a time in the game when they might have been retreating into defense. But Jones was willing to go forward at full speed, though a draw would have been more than acceptable in anticipation of the second-leg matchup at Gillette Stadium at 3:00 p.m. next Saturday.
But this Revolution team is simply built to go forward. They took the lead on Teal Bunbury’s 17th-minute score, but struggled to gain possession in midfield, most valuable player candidate Lee Nguyen getting stifled until the closing minutes.
The Revolution then surrendered a 27th-minute goal to MLS-leading scorer Bradley Wright-Phillips (suspended for the rematch), but survived some rough patches, each team issued five yellow cards over a 60-minute period spanning the halves).
This was only the fourth time the Revolution had scored more than once in an away playoff match (second time in three games this month) and their fifth win in 21 post-season matches outside Massachusetts since 1997. The Revolution, though, are redefining playoff soccer with an attacking style, totaling nine goals in three games.
These offensive outbursts are an extension of a late-season run. The Revolution are 12-1-2 in all games since an Aug. 2 loss to the Red Bulls.
Jones has been a big part of the reason for the Revolution’s rejuvenation, the team unbeaten in 10 games with him as a starter since he arrived on Aug. 30.
Jones had some physical confrontations with the Red Bulls’ Henry, who confirmed he will play his first game on the Gillette Stadium artificial turf.
“I have a lot of respect for him,’’ Jones said of Henry. “But, in the game, it’s not his name. I see him like every player from New York, and if you give him space he can hurt you. We have the second game, I heard he doesn’t like the turf so much but he has to (play) on turf and we’ll see what happens there.’’
Said Revolution coach Jay Heaps: “I don’t know if we were really wide-open out there. (Not) as much as I wanted it to be, because we’re good on the break. But we had a good game plan to defend a little better in the second half.
“We felt the game would open up a little bit and we were doing a great job defensively. At halftime we felt they were going to release numbers to go for the win and I felt if we were able to defend – you want to attack with four or five guys but make sure you’re balanced.’’
Though the Revolution are performing with Charlie Davies as a lone striker, they are displaying surprising firepower, thanks to an offensive mindset.
MVP candidate Nguyen finally broke through to help set up the second goal.
“You always want to feel the game, get touches and play,’’ said Nguyen, who had a six-game scoring streak snapped. “But that’s part of their game plan to limit me and Jermaine’s touches. But the other guys were great.’’
Bunbury scored his second goal in two games, cutting inside with a stepover past left back Ambroise Oyongo and curling a left-foot shot into the upper left corner of the net.
After struggling with possession early, the Red Bulls began gaining control of midfield, thanks to Henry and the defending of Eric Alexander and Dax McCarthy.
Just before Wright-Phillips’ headed in a rebound off the bar, Revolution defender A.J. Soares (23d) and Jones (26th) were cautioned. The sequence was started by a Ibrahim Sekagya win near the halfway line, Peguy Luyindula getting behind the Revolution defense and going one-on-one with Bobby Shuttleworth. Luyindula’s low shot was saved, but as he fell he chipped the rebound off the underside of the bar, the ball bouncing high in the goal area for Wright-Phillips to head in front of Jose Gonçalves.
The Revolution recovered but were halted in midfield as the Red Bulls’ Henry (37th) and Sekagya (43d) were cautioned by referee Allen Chapman. The Red Bulls had two late first-half threats: after Jones was knocked down by Alexander, Shuttleworth saved a low Lloyd Sam shot (40th) and Wright-Phillips headed high off an Henry cross in injury time.
Jones, who was also flattened by an Henry forearm in the opening half, displayed frustration after the halftime whistle, punting the ball high into the West stands.
Jones took on a playmaking role to start the second half, choreographing the Revolution attack from a deep-lying midfield position. The Red Bulls threatened early, Henry’s low shot saved by Shuttleworth and Sam hitting the side net with the rebound (52d). Bunbury headed high (54th), Chapman allowing play to continue with Kelyn Rowe down in the center circle, the Red Bulls’ Richard Eckersley cautioned on the play.
The reorganized Revolution defense improved as Kevin Alston replaced Rowe (62nd), bolstering the left side and pushing Chris Tierney forward, where he would make a key play to free Nguyen on the tie-breaking goal.
The Red Bulls continued to earn cautions, Wright-Phillips (60th) and Alexander (63d), their fourth and fifth in a 26-minute period spanning the halves.
The game remained wide-open, McCarty heading an Henry corner (60th) directly at Shuttleworth. Jones headed over the bar (72d) off a corner kick, then sent an open shot wide (78th) from 15 yards.
Jones gave the Revolution lead with a tap-in after Bunbury sent the ball through the goal area. The sequence started as Gonçalves won a header, Tierney flicking on to Nguyen in the center circle. For one of the few times in the game, Nguyen had room to run through the middle of the field , and his defense-splitting pass found Bunbury open on the right side of the penalty area. Bunbury drew out goalkeeper Luis Robles and slid the ball for Jones to run onto, marking the Revolution’s first win at Red Bull Arena and first in New Jersey in 13 games (1-6-6) since July 14, 2007.
“I want to win,’’ Jones said of his unconventional late-game foray. “So this was a good counter. I saw Lee, he’s a guy, with the ball, he’s really good, so I still kept going. I didn’t score on the chances I had before so I was still hungry to score a goal.’’
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