FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – The final month of the 2014 MLS regular season is upon us and the New England Revolution will open the month with a crucial home game against the Columbus Crew on Saturday night at Gillette Stadium.
The Revs are currently in second place in the Eastern Conference with a 14-13-3 record for 45 points, but the Crew are just two points behind with 43 points from an 11-9-10 record and sit in fourth place in the East.
Saturday’s game is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. and will be shown live on Comcast SportsNet, followed immediately by Revs Post Game Live, hosted by Kevin Walsh and Khano Smith. The game will also be carried on the radio on 98.5 The Sports Hub and 98.5 The Sports Hub’s HD2 station.
The Revs won their sixth game out of seven on Friday night, claiming a 3-2 win on the road against Sporting Kansas City. Kelyn Rowe and Jose Goncalves gave the Revs a 2-0 halftime advantage, but Sporting hit back with a pair of goals early in the second half to even the score at 2-2. However, Jermaine Jones broke the deadlock and handed New England its first ever win at Sporting Park with an 85th minute strike that gave New England a 3-2 victory.
After playing their last two games on the road, the Revs return home to face a Columbus side that has lost just twice in its last 11 games, going 7-2-2 in that time. Two of those seven wins are against the Revs, with Columbus handing New England its last home loss on July 26, winning 2-1. They also snapped the Revs’ five-game winning streak on September 20, winning 1-0 in Columbus. Federico Higuain, the Crew’s leading scorer with 11 goals on the season, scored directly from a free kick in both of those contests, although he also saw a second-half penalty kick saved by Bobby Shuttleworth in the last meeting at Crew Stadium.
TEAM NOTES
REVS STAY HOT HEADING INTO THE FINAL MONTH
In their last 10 games, the Revs have gone 7-2-1, taking 22 of a possible 30 points … the Revs have collected almost half of their 45 points in the last 10 games after collecting 23 points in their first 20 games from a 7-11-2 mark.
NGUYEN UP FOR MLS PLAYER OF THE MONTH
Revolution midfielder Lee Nguyen has been nominated for September’s MLS Etihad Airways Player of the Month award … voting is open until Thursday, October 2, until 2:59 a.m. ET and the winner will be unveiled later that morning … Nguyen played the full 90 minutes in all five of the Revs’ games in September, scoring three goals and adding two assists while helping lead his club to a 4-1-0 record … two of his goals were game-winners and his assist against Sporting Kansas City on Friday night helped to set up Jermaine Jones’ game-winner in the 85th minute … for the season, Nguyen has a team-best 13 goals (including and MLS-best seven game-winners) and five assists, which ties him for the team lead … Nguyen is the second Revolution player to be nominated for player of the month this season, joining Diego Fagundez who was a finalist for the May award … Nguyen is nominated alongside Columbus goalkeeper Steve Clark, LA midfielder Landon Donovan, Seattle forward Obafemi Martins and Portland midfielder Diego Valeri.
THE FINAL FOUR
The Revs have four games remaining on their schedule, with two games to be played at Gillette Stadium ... all four games will see New England take on Eastern Conference foes with the club hosting Columbus (October 4) and Toronto FC (October 25), and traveling to face Montreal (October 11) and Houston (October 16) ... so far this season, the Revs are:
- 4-4-0 against the clubs remaining on their schedule (2-1-0 at home, 2-3-0 on the road)
- 9-4-2 at home and 5-9-1 on the road, overall
- 10-10-1 against fellow Eastern Conference clubs
If the MLS season were to end today, just one of the four teams that remain on the Revolution schedule would qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs … Columbus would be the No. 4 seed while Toronto FC would finish sixth in the East, Houston eighth and Montreal 10th.
REVS NOW SECOND IN CONGESTED EAST
The Revolution are currently second in the Eastern Conference with a 14-13-3 record for 45 points … Sporting Kansas City also have 45 points, but the Revs have one more victory than SKC, giving them second place on a tiebreaker … Saturday’s opponent, the Columbus Crew, are currently two points behind New England with 43 points while New York us two points behind the Crew on 41 points … just nine points separate second place New England from eighth place Houston with all seven of those teams registering at least nine wins and at least nine losses.
EAST COULD BE RE-JIGGERED BY SUNDAY
The playoff picture could look different by the time the Revs actually kick off against Columbus on Saturday with a packed slate of games set to conclude before the Revs-Crew kickoff … Philadelphia hosts Chicago on Thursday, D.C. United host Sporting Kansas City on Friday and New York host Houston earlier in the day on Saturday … first-place D.C. United and 10th-place Montreal are the only teams guaranteed to remain in their current positions at the end of the week as United are currently six points ahead of the second place Revs, and the Impact are seven points behind ninth-place Chicago … United could become the first Eastern Conference side to clinch a postseason berth this weekend.
PLAYOFF PICTURE BEGINS TO BECOME CLEAR
None of the 10 teams in the Eastern Conference have clinched a playoff berth yet, while just the last place Montreal Impact have been eliminated from postseason contention … however, that could change this weekend with first-place D.C. United capable of clinching a return trip to the playoffs and the Chicago Fire in danger of being eliminated … while New England cannot clinch a postseason berth with a win on Saturday, it could all be all but assured of one heading into the club’s October 11 trip to Montreal … losses this week by Philadelphia (38 pts.) and Chicago (31 pts.), combined with a New England victory would make it impossible for either club to catch the Revs, who already have 45 points … additionally, a Houston loss and a Revolution win would leave New England 12 points ahead of the Dynamo (36 pts.), heading into their final four matches … that would mean that Houston would need to win their final four games and have the Revs lose their final three for the teams to finish the season level on points.
SEEKING TO AVOID A SWEEP
One week after finishing off a three-game season sweep of Sporting Kansas City, the Revs will look to avoid a similar sweep when they host the Crew Saturday … Columbus won the first two games of the series this season, claiming a 2-1 win at Gillette Stadium on July 26 before snapping the Revs’ most recent five-game winning streak on September 20 with a 1-0 win at Crew Stadium ... New England won all three meetings with Columbus last season, including a pair of games to close out the regular season that helped the Revs clinch their first playoff berth since 2009 … all-time, the Revolution are 23-31-14 against the Crew … the Revs have not lost three straight games against Columbus since the final two meetings between the sides in 2008 and the first of 2009 … if New England gets the full three points from Saturday’s game, the club will have recorded at least one win against every Eastern Conference side this year with the lone exception of the New York Red Bulls, whom New England played only twice.
AN IMPORTANT FIRST FOR JONES
Jermaine Jones scored the first goal of his MLS career on Friday night against Sporting Kansas City, tallying the game-winning goal in the 85th minute … he is the 14th different player to score a goal for the Revs this season … Jones is also the third player this year to see his first goal for the club also be a late game-winner … Kevin Alston scored the first goal of his MLS career (in his 123rd regular-season game) in the 68th minute of a 2-0 home win over Houston on April 12 … two weeks later, Teal Bunbury scored the first goal of his Revolution career in second-half stoppage time against his former club – Sporting Kansas City – to help the Revs claim a 2-0 win.
THE CAPTAIN COLLECTS HIS FIRST
Revolution captain Jose Goncalves scored his first goal of the season on Friday night, doubling the Revolution advantage in the 35th minute … the third goal of his MLS career and his first from open play, Goncalves intercepted a pass inside his own defensive third and dribbled uncontested to the edge of the Kansas City penalty are before firing a low, left-footed shot just past the dive of Eric Kronberg and inside the right post … the Revs are now 3-0-0 when Goncalves scores a goal in his career, with all three victories coming in New England road wins over Eastern Conference foes … his first goal came in July 2013 against Saturday’s opponent, the Columbus Crew, while his second came three months later in a 1-0 win away to Montreal.
A NEW LOOK BACK FOUR
With A.J. Soares dealing with a calf injury, Jay Heaps utilized a new-look back four on Friday night against Sporting Kansas City … Heaps moved Andrew Farrell, who had started the previous 10 games at right back, into central defense alongside Jose Goncalves … Kevin Alston made his first appearance since August 16 at right back and Chris Tierney returning to the starting lineup in place of Darrius Barnes at left back … it was Tierney’s first start since suffering a sprained left MCL on July 26 against Columbus, while Alston made his first start since August 16 against Portland and his first start at right back since the season opening defeat at Houston on March 8 … prior to Friday’s win, the Revs had started the back four unit of Barnes, Goncalves, Soares and Farrell in six consecutive games.
VOTING OPEN NOW FOR REVOLUTION 2014 MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Voting is now open for the 2014 New England Revolution Santander Most Valuable Player, which will be selected by fan vote for the fifth straight season … fans who vote for the MVP will also have the opportunity to enter a sweepstakes to win a pair of cleats signed by the club’s 2014 MVP after entering their votes ... all players that have appeared in at least 15 of the club’s 30 regular season games to this point are eligible to win the award and fans are asked to vote for their first, second and third choices for MVP … voting will remain open until 10 p.m. ET on Saturday, October 11 … the 2014 Revolution team award winners – including the Santander Most Valuable Player – will be announced on Saturday, October 25, in a pregame ceremony before the Revs face Toronto FC in the team’s 2014 home finale.
REVS TO HIT THE RUNWAY TO SUPPORT THE ELLIE FUND
Soccer and fashion will collide on Wednesday, October 8, when Darrius Barnes, Teal Bunbury, Charlie Davies, Jermaine Jones, Daigo Kobayashi, Lee Nguyen and Kelyn Rowe along with their wives and girlfriends and Revolution sideline reporter Jessie Coffield, will model looks from Boden’s Winter line as part of Boston Fashion Week ... the event, which will be held in Boston at BOND at The Langham (250 Franklin Street), will help to raise money for the Ellie Fund in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness month … tickets to the 21+ event, which will kick off at 7:30 p.m., can be purchased online for $25 here, while $50 VIP tickets are also available and include early admission, access to a Grey Goose and St. Germain cocktail reception and a sweet treat … a limited amount of tickets will be available at the door the night of the event.
JOIN ALSTON. REVS AND LIGHT THE NIGHT FOR LLS
To help support research and the on-going race for a cure for blood cancers, the Revolution is joining the greater New England community at the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s annual Boston Light the Night Walk at 5 p.m. on Thursday, October 9, on the historic Boston Common (Charles St., Boston, Mass.) … the Revolution has created a corporate team to participate in the Light the Night Walk, and is seeking fans and those affected by cancers to join and help fundraise on behalf of the New England Revolution Charitable Foundation … Revolution defender Kevin Alston will be joined by Revs staff and various players’ wives and girlfriends on the Revolution’s team, which will be showcased with a special banner at the walk … every member who signs up to walk as part of the Revolution’s team will receive red, white and blue glow sticks and necklaces at the walk … the team’s top fan fundraisers will be eligible to win prize packages including tickets in the Putnam Club, pregame field passes or a VIP player meet & greet … the top fundraiser will also be honored in a pregame ceremony at the October 4 match against the Columbus Crew … the Revolution Charitable Foundation will match the first $2,500 in donations received by the team’s walkers … the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is Alston’s charity of choice as he joins millions in the fight against blood cancers. In April 2013, Alston was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), a rare but treatable form of leukemia. While CML does not yet have a cure, Alston has managed his health and has returned to the field.
