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	<channel>		<title>RUWT? News</title>
		<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com</link>
		<description>RUWT? News for New England</description>
		<language>en-us</language>
		<copyright>Copyright 2006-2007 areyouwatchingthis.com</copyright>
		<lastBuildDate>Sun, 22 Nov 2009 08:17:15 GMT</lastBuildDate>
		<pubDate>Sun, 22 Nov 2009 08:17:15 GMT</pubDate>
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			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Fire reach Eastern Conference final, blank Revs]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[BRIDGEVIEW, Ill.(AP) -- John Thorrington and Cuauhtemoc Blanco
scored as the Chicago Fire advanced to the Eastern Conference
final, beating the New England Revolution 2-0 Saturday night to
win on 3-2 aggregate.

Chicago entered the match trailing in the two-game, total-goal
semifinals series after a 2-1 defeat at New England on Sunday.

Thorrington scored in the 35th minute of Game 2 with Marco Pappa
and Brandon Prideaux getting assists. Blanco sealed the win with
six minutes remaining in regulation.

It's the second consecutive season in which Chicago has
eliminated New England from the playoffs, and fourth in eight
all-time postseason matchups.

Chicago will host Real Salt Lake, which beat Columbus 4-2 on
aggregate two days ago, next Saturday.

This will be the Fire's third consecutive appearance in the
conference final, where they've lost each of the previous two.

Chicago outshot New England 21-12, but also had 13 shots on net
compared to four for the Revolution.

---=

Story from: STATS LLC, http://www.stats.com.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[soccer]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/132242-Fire-reach-Eastern-Conference-final-blank-Revs</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/132242-Fire-reach-Eastern-Conference-final-blank-Revs</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 08 Nov 2009 05:21:22 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Revolution-Fire Preview]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By SANTOSH VENKATARAMAN
STATS Senior Writer

New England (11-10-9) at Chicago (11-7-12), 8:30 p.m. EDT

The New England Revolution will have to put aside their historic
problems in the Windy City if they want to advance in the MLS
Cup playoffs.

The Revolution have lost all six previous playoff road games
against the Chicago Fire, and will need at least a draw Saturday
night when the bitter rivals play the second leg of their
Eastern Conference semifinal series.

New England and Chicago are meeting for the eighth time in the
last 10 postseasons, and the Revolution won 2-1 at home last
weekend to put themselves in good position to advance. In order
to do so, they will have to overcome their complete lack of
success in Chicago in the playoffs.

"Every game is tough on the road - there's not an easy game on
the road," coach Steve Nicol said. "But obviously, the rivalry
we have with Chicago - we say we certainly have an advantage at
home in Gillette, as they probably will do at their place. But
it's up to us to go in there and try to take that advantage away
from them."

Chicago has outscored New England 15-2 at home in the playoffs
with three straight shutouts. Last year, the Fire won 3-0 at
home after the teams played to a scoreless draw at New England.

The Revolution are in better shape this time around thanks to
Shalrie Joseph's match-winner in the 75th minute in the first
leg. Emmanuel Osei tied it for New England seconds before
halftime after Chris Rolfe opened the scoring for Chicago in the
17th minute.

"I thought we started very well," Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch
said. "We got the goal and we had a couple of other chances.
It's disappointing to give up that goal right before halftime."

New England felt it played aggressively throughout the first
leg. It's hoping to take that same approach on the road.

"We have a lead, which is what we wanted," Nicol said. "So again
we have to make sure that we're tight and don't give anything
away. If we do that, then we're good.

"But at the same time, we know we can't go there and sit and
defend for 90 minutes. We have to start the game solid and well,
and then start pushing them back and create chances of our own.
Hopefully at the end of it, we'll put a ball in the net."

If Chicago fails to win, this could be the final MLS game for
Mexican star Cuauhtemoc Blanco, who has announced that he will
join Veracruz of Mexico's second division in January once his
contract with the Fire expires.

The Fire are confident that they can prolong Blanco's current
term with the club after an encouraging performance in New
England.

"Yeah, we created a lot of chances and I thought that it always
comes back to finishing off your chances," coach Denis Hamlett
said. "We didn't tonight, but we feel very confident heading
back home."

The winner will host Real Salt Lake - an upset winner over 2008
MLS Cup champion Columbus - in the conference final next
Saturday.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[soccer]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/131810-Revolution-Fire-Preview</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/131810-Revolution-Fire-Preview</guid>
				<pubDate>Fri, 06 Nov 2009 19:53:40 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Revolution beat Fire in playoff series opener]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (STATS) - Shalrie Joseph scored in the 75th
minute to lift the New England Revolution to a 2-1 victory over
the Chicago Fire on Sunday in the opening game of their Eastern
Conference semifinal series.

Chris Rolfe opened the scoring for Chicago in 17th minute, and
Emmanuel Osei tied it for New England seconds before halftime.

The teams conclude the two-legged series at Toyota Park on
Saturday.

"We didn't start particularly great early on," Revolution coach
Steve Nicol said. "But we got the win that we wanted."

The Fire tested the Revolution defense early, as Brian McBride
headed a pair of passes that went wide of the net just before
the 10th minute.

The Fire finally capitalized when Marco Pappa went down the
right side and sent a wide-angled shot that Revolution
goalkeeper Matt Reis failed to smother. Rolfe captured it and
scored to put Chicago ahead.

McBride nearly made it 2-0 just two minutes later when he took a
pass from Pappa and rocketed a shot that beat Reis but clanked
off the left post.

New England started to carry the play offensively after the 20th
minute, with Jeff Larentowicz sending a pair of close shots as
the Revolution kept the pressure on the Fire through 30 minutes.

One of Larentowicz's opportunities came in the 26th, when
Chicago goalkeeper Jon Busch journeyed well off his line to
challenge Joseph on a long ball. Busch fell down and Larentowicz
had a clear shot at the unmanned goal, but sent a shot through
that ricocheted off the far post.

"We didn't do much for the first 10 to 15 minutes - we got
frustrated," Nicol said. "But after that, we began to play
loose."

The Revs continued to attack and Osei nearly recorded his first
MLS goal in the 40th minute when his 25-yard shot skimmed off
the near corner of the net.

Osei didn't have to wait long for another chance. Two minutes
into extra time, Kenny Mansally delivered a free kick that Osei
deflected past Busch for the tying goal.

The Fire battled back early in the second half and nearly went
ahead when Pappa's long-distance shot hit the bar and bounced
off the goal line in the 71st minute.

The Revolution quickly took advantage of their good fortune.
Four minutes later, Larentowicz directed the ball toward Joseph,
who fired it through to give his club the lead.

New England withstood Chicago's push for the tie in the final 15
minutes.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[soccer]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/130651-Revolution-beat-Fire-in-playoff-series-opener</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/130651-Revolution-beat-Fire-in-playoff-series-opener</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 01 Nov 2009 22:42:56 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
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				<title><![CDATA[Revolution earn playoff spot, beat Crew 1-0 in finale]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By BOB STEIN
STATS MLS Correspondent

COLUMBUS, Ohio (STATS) - Jeff Larentowicz scored in the 79th
minute to secure a playoff spot for the New England Revolution
with a 1-0 win over the Columbus Crew on Sunday night.

The victory in the final game of the MLS regular season gave New
England (11-10-9) 42 points and a playoff berth at the expense
of the Colorado Rapids, who fell from the ranks of the eight
teams to qualify.

Larentowicz's first goal of the season came on a free kick from
20 yards. The midfielder bent his right-footed shot around the
Crew defensive wall and past goalkeeper Kenny Schoeni.

"Fantastic free kick," said New England coach Steve Nicol of the
shot that launched his side into the playoffs for an eighth
consecutive season.

"To come here on the last game of the season and needing points
was never going to be easy," Nicol said. "To get into the
playoffs is huge."

New England will face the Chicago Fire, against whom it tied two
matches in the regular season.

Columbus (13-7-10) already had secured home-field advantage
throughout the playoffs as well as the 2009 Supporters' Shield,
given to the team with the best regular-season record. The Crew
joined D.C. United as the only teams to win the Supporters'
Shield in consecutive seasons.

Representatives from Columbus supporters' groups handed the
shield to Crew captain Frankie Hejduk in a ceremony after the
game.

However, the loss was the Crew's second straight at home after a
league-record 24-game unbeaten streak at Crew Stadium.  Four of
the Crew's seven losses this season have come in their last
eight games.

Crew coach Robert Warzycha said the recent losses did not have
him concerned entering the postseason.

"It's not that we played bad in those games," Warzycha said.
"Sometimes it's just tough to score a goal, especially at the
end of the season when teams feel they have to play harder."

Columbus, which has scored only one goal in its last four games,
will face Real Salt Lake in the first round of the playoffs. The
teams faced each other twice this season, each winning on its
own turf.

Schoeni made his best save of the night to prevent an own goal
in the seventh minute. Crew midfielder Emmanuel Ekpo's attempt
to clear a Revolution pass sent the ball zipping toward the Crew
goal from close range, forcing Schoeni to dive to his left to
keep the ball out of the net.

Schoeni was placed in the starting lineup just minutes before
kickoff in place of regular starter William Hesmer, who said he
has been battling the flu since last Friday.

"We know what the next four games are all about," said Hesmer,
who was in goal for the Crew during its MLS Cup-winning run last
year.

Larentowicz tested Schoeni with a laser-like, low strike from 22
yards in the 28th minute, but Schoeni was able to gather it into
his midsection.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[soccer]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/128970-Revolution-earn-playoff-spot-beat-Crew-1-0-in-finale</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/128970-Revolution-earn-playoff-spot-beat-Crew-1-0-in-finale</guid>
				<pubDate>Mon, 26 Oct 2009 01:21:05 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Revolution-Crew Preview]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO
STATS Writer

New England (10-10-9) at Columbus (13-6-10), 6:00 p.m. EDT

The New England Revolution learned exactly what they needed to
do to reach the playoffs after watching the scenarios unfold
without their participation.

Now, a tie gets them in and another date with an Eastern
Conference rival.

The Revolution looks to reach the postseason for an eighth
consecutive season Sunday when they face the Columbus Crew in
the regular-season finale.

New England (10-10-9) entered the weekend as one of six teams
vying for the last two playoff spots. With five of those clubs
in action Saturday, Salt Lake secured one berth while Colorado
holds the eighth and final position, one point ahead of the
Revolution.

A win or tie for the Revs will clinch the third seed in the
conference and eliminate the Rapids. It would also secure a
first-round playoff meeting with Chicago, marking the eighth
time in 10 seasons the bitter rivals would meet in postseason
play.

"We're fortunate that we have a good bunch of pros that want to
step on the field and win games, and that's what we want to do
Sunday," coach Steve Nicol said. "We have to win the game
Sunday. We just have to show up Sunday, be ready, be prepared,
and get the job done. We have to win the game Sunday, that's all
there is to it."

New England, however, has stumbled of late, going 0-2-2 while
scoring one goal. The club played to a scoreless tie with the
Fire on Oct. 17, a week after falling 1-0 to the Crew (13-6-10).

The Revolution have struggled to score all season, netting more
than two goals in a game twice. However, they've also been one
of the stingiest teams in MLS lately, holding opponents to one
goal of fewer in their last six games.

If New England is going to reach the playoffs, it might need to
find the back of the net and Shalrie Joseph could find himself
involved, as he attempts to further make a case for MLS MVP
honors.

Joseph, known throughout his career as a defensive specialist,
has emerged as the Revolution's top offensive force this season
due to a slew of injuries. He's tied with forward Kheli Dube for
the team lead with eight goals, but the midfielder also has
eight assists - both career highs.

The Crew have already secured their second consecutive
Supporters' Shield after Chivas USA lost 1-0 at Chicago on
Thursday. That came five days after Columbus failed to do it
itself, falling 1-0 at D.C.

With home-field advantage in the East playoffs clinched, the
Crew are focused on repeating as MLS Cup champions.

"We still haven't accomplished what we want to," defender
Frankie Hejduk said. "We've accomplished a couple of our goals -
winning the Eastern Conference, getting the Supporters' Shield
... There's one more big goal to accomplish. We all know that.
Winning everything so far has been great but we'll be
disappointed if we're not holding the Cup up."

With nothing at stake for Columbus, coach Robert Warzycha is
looking to rest several players Sunday.

"The players have bruises," he said. "They have sore ankles but
they don't complain about it. I'm not saying they're injured,
but it would probably be better if they get some rest and get
ready for the first playoff game."

The Crew's first-round playoff opponent is still unknown, with
Colorado and Salt Lake as possible opponents.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[soccer]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/128828-Revolution-Crew-Preview</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/128828-Revolution-Crew-Preview</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 25 Oct 2009 06:02:10 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Fire, Revolution waste opportunities with 0-0 draw]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (STATS) - The Chicago Fire blew a chance to
wrap up a spot in the postseason. The New England Revolution put
their chances of getting one in jeopardy.

The Revolution lost control of their playoff fate and the
Chicago Fire wasted an opportunity to clinch a postseason berth
in a 0-0 draw Saturday night.

While Chicago (10-7-12) remained in second place in the Eastern
Conference, New England (10-10-9) fell into a tie with Toronto,
D.C. United and FC Dallas for the league's eighth and final
playoff spot.

The Revolution don't have the tiebreaker over Toronto because
they lost the season series. New England closes the regular
season at Columbus on Oct. 25.

"I think we're more disappointed because we really needed those
points," defender Jay Heaps said. "We put ourselves in a bind."

The Revolution appeared to take control in the first minute when
Kevin Alston pushed up the right channel and snapped a cross
through toward Kheli Dube, but the striker lost his balance and
fell to the ground as the ball sailed away.

New England continued its pressure in the 24th minute when Jeff
Larentowicz fed a ball through to Sainey Nyassi, who charged
ahead unmarked and fired a quick shot that Jon Busch saved.

"Last week, nobody went for the ball," said Revolution coach
Steve Nicol, whose team was coming off last Saturday's 1-0 loss
to Columbus. "This week, everyone went for the ball. So there
were some positives."

Chicago began to find its form later in the first half. In the
30th minute, Chris Rolfe delivered a ball ahead to Patrick
Nyarko, whose shot skipped wide of the far post. About 8 minutes
later, Rolfe escaped two Revolution defenders and caught
goalkeeper Matt Reis well off his line, but the midfielder
lobbed the ball ahead and it bounced wide of the post.

The Revolution reclaimed the momentum in the second half,
peppering Busch with shots from Dube and Kenny Mansally before
the 50th minute.

"We had enough balls in the penalty box, and created a lot of
havoc," Nicol said. "But you have to have the instinct to pounce
on it. And we didn't have that."

The Fire nearly took advantage of a mistake in the 63rd as
Revolution defender Emmanuel Osei misplayed a ball in his own
area. Rolfe pounced on it and went in alone on Reis before the
keeper broke it up with a swipe at the ball and Rolfe's boot. It
appeared Reis might be carded and a penalty awarded, but referee
Jorge Gonzalez instead issued a yellow to Rolfe for
embellishment.

"From where we were standing, it was definitely a penalty,"
Chicago coach Denis Hamlett said. "I thought the referee was far
away from the play - so he decided to card (Rolfe) for diving.
I'm still trying to figure that one out."

With 10 minutes to play, the Fire issued another challenge when
Brian McBride went down the right and sent a cross to Baggio
Husidic, but the pass evaded the midfielder's left foot at the
last moment.

Neither club lodged a serious threat in the remaining minutes.

Before the match, the Revolution announced assistant coach Paul
Mariner had resigned to pursue a coaching position abroad.

"I can't tell you how much he's helped us," Nicol said. "We'll
certainly miss him."]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[soccer]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/127145-Fire-Revolution-waste-opportunities-with-0-0-draw</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/127145-Fire-Revolution-waste-opportunities-with-0-0-draw</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 18 Oct 2009 04:16:51 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
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				<title><![CDATA[Revolution assistant Mariner resigns]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[FOXBOROUGH, Mass.(AP) -- New England Revolution assistant coach
Paul Mariner has resigned to pursue a coaching position abroad.

Mariner's resignation is effective after the Revolution's game
against the Chicago Fire on Saturday night.

Mariner spent six seasons with the Revolution. During his
tenure, New England advanced to the MLS Cup three times and
played in the Eastern Conference title game four times.

Mariner, from Bolton, Lancashire, England, was considered among
the best forwards in English football in the late 1970s and
early '80s. He was a member of England's World Cup team in 1982.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[soccer]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/127101-Revolution-assistant-Mariner-resigns</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/127101-Revolution-assistant-Mariner-resigns</guid>
				<pubDate>Sat, 17 Oct 2009 22:37:47 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
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				<title><![CDATA[Fire-Revolution Preview]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By MIKE LIPKA
STATS Writer

Chicago (10-7-11) at New England (10-10-8), 6:00 p.m. EDT

The Chicago Fire can secure a postseason spot and home-field
advantage in the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs with a
victory Saturday, but the struggling club will be trying to take
the three points from an opponent that needs them even more.

The New England Revolution enter the important late-season
contest clinging to a small lead for the league's final playoff
spot, and will be looking for more offense as they try for their
second victory in eight matches.

Chicago (10-7-11) hasn't won since Aug. 23, going 0-2-3. The
club, idle since a 1-0 loss at Los Angeles on Oct. 2, is still
in second place in the Eastern Conference on the brink of a
fifth straight postseason appearance.

"The most important thing is we control our own destiny. If we
beat New England we wrap up the second-place spot," coach Denis
Hamlett told the league's official Web site. "Whatever happens
with the other teams, we will deal with it. We don't worry about
what other teams do. We've got to take care of our own
business."

The Revs (10-10-8) can also assure themselves of a playoff spot
without any help - as long as they win both of their remaining
games. But victories have been difficult to come by lately for
coach Steve Nicol's club, which is 1-4-2 since the beginning of
September.

With top offensive producers Taylor Twellman and Steve Ralston
still out, New England has scored one goal in its last three
games, a 0-2-1 stretch capped by a 1-0 home loss to Columbus
last Saturday.

"I think we have to make chances, first and foremost. I don't
think we've made enough chances recently in order to score
goals," Nicol said. "So first and foremost, we need to make
chances, and obviously if we do that, then we're looking for
somebody to bury it."

The Revs lead Real Salt Lake by one point and three teams by two
points for the eighth and final MLS playoff spot. New England,
eliminated from last year's postseason by Chicago, has not
missed the playoffs since 2001.

"It's a huge game," Nicol said. "Three points is vital, and
that's what we're after - three points."

That may be tough considering Chicago is a league-best 6-3-5 on
the road. The Fire won 2-1 in Foxborough in SuperLiga play on
July 15, and they outscored the Revs 5-1 in three visits in
2008, including playoffs.

Chicago may also be aided by the return of midfielder Cuauhtemoc
Blanco, who missed the last two games with a hamstring injury.
With banged-up defenders Gonzalo Segares and Wilman Conde also
potentially available, the Fire are hoping their two-week break
has them in prime form to enter the playoffs with some momentum.

"For us, it was a good time," Hamlett said. "Given our
situation, with all of the injuries we have, it's good. ... It
gives us time to recover and get ready for the final two-game
push."]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[soccer]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/126932-Fire-Revolution-Preview</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/126932-Fire-Revolution-Preview</guid>
				<pubDate>Sat, 17 Oct 2009 02:03:50 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
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				<title><![CDATA[Crew beat Revs, clinch first in East]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By BRIAN O'CONNELL
STATS MLS Correspondent

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (STATS) - Gino Padula scored a first-half goal
as the depleted Columbus Crew clinched first place in the
Eastern Conference with a 1-0 victory over the New England
Revolution on Saturday night.

The victory gave the reigning MLS Cup champion Crew (13-5-10) 49
points - tops in the league - and an insurmountable eight-point
lead over second-place Chicago with two matches remaining.

Padula scored in the 36th minute after he launched a 35-yard
free kick that skipped through a series of players before it
lodged itself into the back of the net.

Columbus played without Chad Marshall due to injury, while
Frankie Hejduk, Robbie Rogers and Alejandro Moreno all had World
Cup qualifier commitments.

New England (10-10-8) remained in the eighth and final playoff
spot with 38 points and also has two matches remaining. The
Revolution are two points ahead of D.C. United, FC Dallas and
Toronto FC for eighth place.

"We had no quality tonight," said Revolution manager Steve
Nicol. "Whatever we did, whatever we tried, there was no quality
in it. And there's no getting away from it."

The Revolution tested the Crew early with a pair of chances that
goalkeeper Will Hemser mishandled before his defenders cleared
them out of danger.

Shortly after that, and even with league MVP Guillermo Barros
Schelotto on the bench, the Crew outplayed the Revolution for
the remainder of the match.

"We didn't get the ball, we didn't create chances," said
Revolution captain Shalrie Joseph. "We were just lackluster all
around."

After Revolution keeper Matt Reis denied a quality chance by
Steve Lenhart in the 24th minute, he was helpless to stop
Padula's long-distance lob 12 minutes later.

"It was horrible," said Nicol. "I don't know how to put it -
it's horrible, no matter how you want to look at it. Nobody's
taking charge. It's horrible goal. There was no communication."

Columbus played the final 25 minutes with 10 men after Emmanuel
Ekpo was given a straight red card for elbowing Kevin Alston on
a 50-50 ball near midfield.

Hemser then made his best save of the match in the 68th minute
when he parried a hard shot from the right flank by Sainey
Nyassi.

"A purist would say you have an extra man, so you pass the ball
around and break them down" said Nicol. "But the bottom line is
we didn't do anything with quality, so our passing wasn't good
enough to do that. "

The Revolution play their final two matches against the top two
teams in the East - at home against Chicago next Saturday and at
Columbus on Oct. 25.

"It was painfully frustrating that we didn't rise to the
challenge," said Joseph. "We didn't do what we were supposed to
do to get points."]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[soccer]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/125805-Crew-beat-Revs-clinch-first-in-East</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/125805-Crew-beat-Revs-clinch-first-in-East</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 11 Oct 2009 02:58:00 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
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				<title><![CDATA[Crew-Revolution Preview]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO
STATS Writer

Columbus (12-5-10) at New England (10-9-8), 7:30 p.m. EDT

The Eastern Conference-leading Columbus Crew are looking to move
closer to their second consecutive Supporters' Shield, while the
New England Revolution are trying to improve their playoff
chances.

One or both of those goals could take a major blow as the East
rivals meet twice in the final three games of the regular
season.

The Crew will try to overcome five absences and clinch the
conference title Saturday night when they visit the Revolution.

Columbus (12-5-10) posted the best record in MLS last year en
route to winning its first MLS Cup.

A year later, the Crew have secured a return to the playoffs and
are atop the league standings again, two points ahead of West
co-leaders Los Angeles and Houston with a game in hand. A win
Saturday would clinch Columbus' third East title and the top
seed in the conference playoffs.

The Revolution (10-9-8) are looking to reach the postseason for
an eighth consecutive time. They hold the eighth and final
position, two points ahead of the ninth-place tie between D.C.
and Dallas and three in front of Toronto FC in 10th.

Two meetings in the next three games between New England and
Columbus could change the face of one or both of those races.

"The scheduling part of it is a bit nonsensical to me, but we
have to do it," Revs coach Steve Nicol said. "The preparation
doesn't change at all. When they are away from home they'll be
defending more, and like most teams when they're at home you
expect them to be attacking more."

The Crew went 2-1-0 against the Revs last year, winning 1-0 at
Gillette Stadium on a goal by Chad Marshall to improve to 2-0-1
in the last three meetings there.

Marshall, though, will miss a fourth consecutive game with a
knee sprain, while defender Frankie Hejduk, midfielder Robbie
Rogers and forward Alejandro Moreno are not with the club due to
national team commitments for World Cup qualifiers.

Columbus is also without defensive midfielder Danny O'Rourke,
who is suspended due to an accumulation of yellow cards.

Guillermo Barros Schelotto, the reigning league and Cup MVP,
will be looking for a better performance after missing a penalty
kick with 6 minutes to play in a 1-0 loss to Seattle last
Saturday that snapped the Crew's MLS-record 22-game home
unbeaten streak. It was the playmaker's first penalty kick miss
on nine attempts since joining Columbus in April 2007.

Schelotto, tied with the Sounders' Fredy Montero for third in
the league with 12 goals, has three goals and three assists in
four games against New England.

"When he has time on the ball he's dangerous," Revolution
defender Darrius Barnes said. "He's sitting in right behind the
forwards and sliding little balls in behind the defense. I just
feel like we have to put pressure on the ball and make sure he
doesn't have too much time by closing in and making things tough
for him."

The Revolution are enduring a 1-3-2 stretch and coming off a
1-all tie at Colorado last Saturday as they failed to capitalize
on playing with a man advantage for 31 minutes.

New England, 7-3-3 at home, will host Chicago on Oct. 17 before
visiting Columbus to end the season Oct. 25.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[soccer]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/125436-Crew-Revolution-Preview</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/125436-Crew-Revolution-Preview</guid>
				<pubDate>Fri, 09 Oct 2009 15:42:56 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
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				<title><![CDATA[Casey lifts Rapids into 1-1 draw with Revs]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By DALE BUBLITZ
STATS MLS Correspondent

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (STATS) - Conor Casey figured to be elated,
scoring a game-tying goal in the second half. Instead, he
couldn't have been more disappointed.

Casey moved into a tie for the MLS goal-scoring lead with a
penalty kick in the 58th minute, lifting the Colorado Rapids
into a 1-1 tie with the New England Revolution on Saturday
night.

"We kept with it and in the end, I guess it's a good point for
us," Casey said. "It would have been nice to get the three
points."

With Colorado (10-8-10) trailing, Casey tied it with his 16th
goal after Omar Cummings was taken down in the scoring area. The
Rapids star is tied with Dallas' Jeff Cunningham for the league
goal-scoring lead.

"I never get tired of it - being in those situations," Casey
said. "It would be nice for us to create some goals in regular
play and not have to rely on PKs for the rest of the season."

It was the fourth consecutive deadlock for Colorado, which has
40 points and remains in the running for a playoff spot. Casey
has accounted for game-tying goals off penalty kicks in three of
them.

And that was the problem in the mind of Colorado coach Gary
Smith.

"The goal was a big lift and with 30 minutes to go I was full of
hope that we could turn it around," he said. "We didn't."

New England coach Steve Nicol was equally frustrated.

"I came away thinking we should have won the game," he said. "We
had enough possessions. I'm disappointed we didn't do more with
them."

Kheli Dube scored for New England (10-9-8), winless in its last
four games. They failed to build on a one-goal lead despite
playing the last 30 minutes with a man advantage when Colorado
defender Julien Baudet was issued a red card in the 60th minute.

The Rapids are 5-0-3 at home against the Revolution since 2002.

Colorado goalkeeper Preston Burpo got the start for Matt
Pickens, who missed his fifth consecutive game with a knee
injury. Burpo is 1-2-6 in his last nine games and hasn't won
since a 3-2 victory at Los Angeles on April 4 in his first start
of the season.

Dube's eighth goal of the season opened the scoring in the 29th
minute. The Revolution, who lost 1-0 on Wednesday in Dallas,
hadn't scored since the 87th minute of a 2-1 victory over
Seattle on Sept. 26.

Two minutes after Dube's tally, New England's Matt Reis dove to
swat away a shot by Nick LaBrocca. Burpo then made a diving save
of a shot by Nico Colaluca in the 43rd minute.

Casey tied it after faking Reis to the center of the crease and
kicking it to the goalkeeper's right.

"I just pick a side," Casey said. "I went there and he went the
other way."

Both teams had scoring chances late. Cummings hit the crossbar
in the 88th minute, and New England's Kevin Alston sent a wild
shot well over the crossbar in injury time.

"When it really counts and you need three points, the good teams
get them," Smith said. "And the other teams don't quite and we
don't quite (get them)."

The Rapids finish their regular season with games at FC Dallas
and Real Salt Lake.

"I think what it means is we will have to get our results
somewhere else," Smith said "We missed big opportunities in San
Jose and tonight where we could have cemented our place and we
didn't."]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[soccer]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/124335-Casey-lifts-Rapids-into-1-1-draw-with-Revs</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/124335-Casey-lifts-Rapids-into-1-1-draw-with-Revs</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 04 Oct 2009 04:52:56 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Revolution-Rapids Preview]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO
STATS Writer

New England (10-9-7) at Colorado (10-8-9), 9:00 p.m. EDT

The Colorado Rapids and New England Revolution are in the thick
of the tightly packed MLS Cup playoff race, but injuries and
recent stumbles have prevented both clubs from solidifying their
chances.

The Rapids will try to snap a string of three consecutive ties
Saturday night by continuing their home dominance of the
Revolution.

Colorado (10-8-9) is fifth overall in MLS while New England
(10-9-7) is two points behind the Rapids in eighth, leading
ninth-place D.C. by one point. The top two teams from each
conference advance to the playoffs, and the four teams with the
next highest point totals get in as wild cards.

The Rapids have been hampered by season-ending knee injuries to
wide midfielders Colin Clark, Jacob Peterson and Jamie Smith,
while goalkeeper Matt Pickens may miss his fifth consecutive
game with a knee sprain.

"At this point in the season, knowing that all three of our
natural wide players are out, I think it's going to be a case of
being able to adapt and deal with different situations," coach
Gary Smith said.

Colorado is also struggling without Pickens, going 0-1-3 while
tying its last three. The Rapids played to a scoreless draw at
Kansas City last Saturday.

"Obviously, we want to win. Point-wise, we're still in decent
shape. We still have things in our own hands," said forward
Conor Casey, whose 15 goals rank only behind Dallas' Jeff
Cunningham (16) for the league lead.

"Obviously, it would have been nice to have won the last couple
of games. But it's not like we're getting blown out or beaten
really bad. We're in the mix."

A return to Dick's Sporting Good Park could help the Rapids, who
are 8-2-4 there. They're also 11-3-2 at home against the
Revolution, going 5-0-2 in the last seven meetings dating to a
2-1 loss June 15, 2002.

New England has struggled in its last five games, falling to
1-3-1 after losing 1-0 at Dallas on Wednesday in its first game
without Steve Ralston. The midfielder, MLS' all-time leader with
135 assists, suffered a torn ACL in last Saturday's 2-1 win over
Seattle.

"We're going to have to come out with a lot more energy and work
harder," midfielder Shalrie Joseph said. "We have to try to get
one and then see what happens. Colorado is a difficult place to
play, so we know we're going to have our work cut out for us.

"We're going to have to be prepared to get a point or three
points on the road. We need to start getting points instead of
not coming away with anything."

The Revs, 3-6-4 on the road, will try to take advantage of
Rapids backup Preston Burpo, who has allowed five goals on 19
shots over the last four games.

Burpo is 1-2-5 with a 1.25 goals-against average in eight games
and hasn't won since a 3-2 victory at Los Angeles on April 4 -
his first start of the season. His three saves against the
Wizards secured his first shutout since a 2-0 win over Chicago
on Sept. 14, 2008.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[soccer]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/123998-Revolution-Rapids-Preview</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/123998-Revolution-Rapids-Preview</guid>
				<pubDate>Fri, 02 Oct 2009 23:04:11 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
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				<title><![CDATA[Cunningham scores 16th as FC Dallas downs Revs]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By AMIT KALUSKAR
STATS MLS Correspondent

DALLAS (STATS)-  Maybe it took a new setting for FC Dallas to
finally get a breakthrough defensive performance, but a
71st-minute goal from Jeff Cunningham and a defense that allowed
only two shots on goal led to a 1-0 win over the New England
Revolution on Wednesday night.

"For us to get a 1-0 win that doesn't happen," Dallas coach
Schellas Hyndman said. "Our defense always lets us down at the
most inappropriate times, but this is a step in the  right 
direction."

The game played at the Cotton Bowl was the first match of a
doubleheader, with the second game an international friendly
between Mexico and Columbia. FC Dallas played at the Cotton Bowl
from 1996-2002 and 2004-2005 before moving to Pizza Hut Park in
August 2005.

FC Dallas entered the game with 43 goals allowed, tied for
second-most in the MLS, but has posted consecutive shutouts for
the second time this season. Dallas also blanked Kansas City and
Houston on Aug. 1 and Aug. 6, respectively.

"We struggled tonight," New England's Sainey Nyassi said. "They
dominated us at midfield."

New England (10-9-7) remained on 37 points, good for third in
the Eastern Conference and eighth in the MLS. The top two teams
in each conference qualify for the playoffs and the next four
teams with the highest overall point totals receive wild-card
berths.

The Revolution are 1-3-1 in their last five matches and
struggled without playmaking midfielder Steve Ralston, who
sustained a season-ending knee injury Saturday against Seattle
FC.

"Tonight we didn't create any chances," Revolution forward Kheli
Dube said. " It's going to be hard to get goals (with Ralston
out)."

FC Dallas (9-12-6) - currently 12th overall - still has an
outside chance at the playoffs with 33 points and three matches
remaining.

"We still have games we can win and we still have a chance to
get in," Dallas defender Ugo Ihemelu said. "We just have to keep
playing our game."

Cunningham scored his MLS-leading 16th goal, which puts him one
ahead of Colorado's Conor Casey. Atiba Harris started the
scoring sequence with a cross to Jair Benitez, who directed the
ball to Cunningham. The striker then headed a shot into the left
corner of the net from the top of the 6-yard box.

"I'm not known to score too many with my head," Cunningham said
of the goal. "It was a good cross and I re-directed into the
net."

Dallas forward Dave van den Bergh, who has a team-best 10
assists, left in the 26th minute because of a right ankle
injury.

"I felt like this was a playoff type game," Cunningham said.
"Their defenders were organized and didn't give many chances.
There weren't many good looks for both teams."

Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis finished the game with five
saves while FC Dallas goalie Dario Sala made two.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[soccer]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/123540-Cunningham-scores-16th-as-FC-Dallas-downs-Revs</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/123540-Cunningham-scores-16th-as-FC-Dallas-downs-Revs</guid>
				<pubDate>Thu, 01 Oct 2009 02:12:37 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
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				<title><![CDATA[Revolution-FC Dallas Preview]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO
STATS Writer

New England (10-8-7) at FC Dallas (8-12-6), 7:00 p.m. EDT

Facing FC Dallas would appear to be a great chance for the New
England Revolution to improve their position in the tightly
packed playoff race. Overcoming the loss of Steve Ralston to a
season-ending knee injury might be a stiffer task.

The Revolution will try to continue their dominance of Dallas on
Wednesday night when they play the first of two road games in
four days.

New England (10-8-7) holds the eighth and final playoff
position, one point ahead of D.C. and two behind the sixth-place
tie between Chivas USA and Seattle, which trail fourth-place
Colorado by one point. The Revs visit the Rapids on Saturday and
hold two games in hand on them and the Sounders.

The Revolution have a good opportunity to move atop that crowd
after rallying for a 2-1 win over Seattle behind two second-half
goals by midfielder Shalrie Joseph on Saturday.

"We knew we needed to get three points because we're going to
have a tough game in Colorado and in Dallas, and we have to take
care of business," said Joseph, who leads the team with career
highs of eight goals and eight assists. "No matter where we play
right now, we know that the playoff picture is coming around and
we need points no matter where we go."

Those points may be harder to come by after New England learned
it will be without Ralston, the league's all-time leader in
games played (378) and assists (135).

The 35-year-old midfielder tore the ACL in his right knee in the
19th minute Saturday. Ralston, second on the team with seven
goals and seven assists, came down awkwardly while going for a
ball.

The Revs, though, have thoroughly dominated Dallas (8-12-6),
going 10-1-1 dating to a 2-1 loss Aug. 2, 2000. They've won the
last six meetings by an 11-4 margin, not including a 2007
victory in U.S. Open Cup play.

The Revolution haven't lost to FCD since a 4-0 defeat at Pizza
Hut Park on May 20, 2006, and are 22-9-1 in the all-time series
with an 11-4-1 road mark.

Ralston scored the eventual winner with 10 minutes to play in
the last meeting, a 2-1 home victory April 4.

Dallas still has faint playoff hopes after winning two of three,
but it's seven points back of New England with four games to
play.

"Let's see where we can take this thing. Crazier things have
happened in soccer," midfielder Dave van den Bergh told the
team's official Web site. "The best thing about those last four
games is we have nothing to lose. We can take it game-by-game.
We don't even have control over our own destiny any more. So all
we can do is play well, play hard and take it game-by-game."

Dallas' resurgence has been helped by improved play at home,
where it's 5-0-1 after a 1-3-3 stretch.

The club won at home again Saturday, beating Salt Lake 3-0 as
Jeff Cunningham scored twice and van den Bergh notched two
assists.

Cunningham has 12 goals in his past nine games, including six in
the last four. That surge has moved the Jamaican forward into a
tie with the Rapids' Conor Casey for the league lead at 15.

Cunningham's 119 career goals rank him second all-time in MLS.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[soccer]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/123170-Revolution-FC-Dallas-Preview</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/123170-Revolution-FC-Dallas-Preview</guid>
				<pubDate>Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:53:02 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
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				<title><![CDATA[Revolution's Ralston out with knee injury]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[FOXBOROUGH, Mass.(AP) -- New England Revolution captain Steve
Ralston will miss the rest of the season because of a knee
injury.

Ralston tore the ACL in his right knee during the Revolution's
2-1 win Saturday against the Seattle Sounders FC. He came down
awkwardly while going for a ball, and is expected to have
surgery.

The 35-year-old Ralston ranked second on the team in goals (7)
and assists (7) while appearing in 20 games this season. Ralston
is the MLS career leader in games played with 378.

The Revolution (10-8-7) rank third in the Eastern Conference.
The team travels to play FC Dallas on Wednesday at the Cotton
Bowl.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[soccer]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/122983-Revolutions-Ralston-out-with-knee-injury</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/122983-Revolutions-Ralston-out-with-knee-injury</guid>
				<pubDate>Mon, 28 Sep 2009 19:38:29 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
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				<title><![CDATA[Joseph's late goal lifts Revs by Sounders]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[FOXBOROUGH, Mass.(AP) -- Shalrie Joseph scored twice in the second
half, including the go-ahead goal in the 87th minute, as the New
England Revolution rallied for a crucial 2-1 victory over the
Seattle Sounders FC on Saturday night.

The Revolution (10-8-7), who ended a three-match winless streak,
temporarily moved into third place in the Eastern Conference
with 37 points and into a tie with Chivas USA for seventh
overall.

The top two teams from each conference qualify for the playoffs,
while the teams with the next four highest point totals gain
berths as wild cards.

Seattle (9-7-11) remained at 38 points, tied for fourth in the
West and sixth overall. The first-year team had a three-match
road unbeaten streak end.

Freddy Montero staked the Sounders to an early lead in the sixth
minute with a goal from 30 yards that hit the crossbar before
dipping past the goal line. It was his 12th of the season, tying
him for third in the league.

Joseph tied the match at 1 in the 51st minute on a penalty kick
after Seattle defender Leo Gonzalez was whistled for a handball
in the penalty area.

The win may have been a costly one for the Revolution, who lost
playmaking midfielder Steve Ralston to a knee injury in the 19th
minute when he challenged Osvaldo Alonso for a 50-50 ball in the
air and came down awkwardly.

---=

Story from: STATS LLC, http://www.stats.com.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[soccer]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/122572-Josephs-late-goal-lifts-Revs-by-Sounders</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/122572-Josephs-late-goal-lifts-Revs-by-Sounders</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 27 Sep 2009 04:43:06 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Sounders-Revolution Preview]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA
STATS Senior Writer

Seattle (9-6-11) at New England (9-8-7), 7:30 p.m. EDT

There have been plenty of chances for Seattle to end its scoring
woes at home, with a missed penalty shot against the New England
Revolution among the most glaring.

Perhaps the Sounders will find it easier to take advantage of
such opportunities at Gillette Stadium.

A week after being shut out at home yet again, the Sounders
begin a stretch of three straight road games Saturday night with
their first matchup at New England.

A scoreless tie with Chivas USA last Saturday boosted Seattle
(9-6-11) into third place in the Western Conference. The
Sounders, though, were shut out at Qwest Field for the fourth
straight game, a slump that doesn't bode well for the expansion
team's playoff chances.

Seattle has gone 404 minutes without a goal at home since a 2-1
victory against Houston on July 11.

The Sounders, however, have had quality chances offensively.
They put six shots on goal against Chivas.

"I can't go in there and scream at them because they're creating
chances," coach Sigi Schmid said.

In a matchup at home against the Revolution (9-8-7) on Aug. 20,
forward Fredy Montero missed a penalty kick in the 44th minute.

The Sounders now play three straight on the road, where they are
3-4-5. Seattle, though, has scored five goals in its last three
away from Qwest Field, going 2-0-1.

"We'd always rather play at home, believe me," Schmid said. "I'd
rather play at home but we're going to go get the points on the
road. The points are out there, so we've got to take the points
wherever they are."

New England is 6-3-3 at home, holding opponents to 14 goals, but
is 0-2-1 overall following a three-game winning streak. The
Revolution had lost two straight before a 1-all tie with New
York on Sept. 18.

The draw put New England into a tie for fourth-place with
Toronto in the East, two points behind D.C. for the final
playoff spot.

Poor play offensively hasn't helped the Revolution's cause. They
have scored three goals in their last three games after finding
the back of the net six times in their previous three.

New England's only goal against the Red Bulls was scored by
Sainey Nyassi in the 13th minute. It was the second goal of the
season for the midfielder.

"He's talented, there's no question about that," New England
coach Steve Nicol said. "But he lacks experience - the kid is
only 19. ... Now he just has to do it more often."]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[soccer]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/122220-Sounders-Revolution-Preview</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/122220-Sounders-Revolution-Preview</guid>
				<pubDate>Fri, 25 Sep 2009 18:33:12 GMT</pubDate>
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				<title><![CDATA[Wolyniec's goal gives Red Bulls draw with Revs]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By JIM HAGUE
STATS MLS Correspondent

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (STATS) - Although John Wolyniec scored a
second-half goal that enabled the New York Red Bulls to gain a
1-all draw with their biggest nemesis, the New England
Revolution, it was a call not made that was the topic of
conversation.

About 20 minutes before Wolyniec scored his game-tying goal, he
was involved in a highly controversial play. Wolyniec was pulled
down hard from behind by New England defender Emmanuel Osei
inside the penalty area, but referee Hilario Grajeda did not
award a penalty kick and called for play to continue, despite
Wolyniec writhing in pain.

"Yeah, I was pretty shocked it wasn 't called," Wolyniec said
after the game, while standing on crutches - the result of a
sprained ankle he suffered in a collision with Revolution
defender Jay Heaps on the game-tying goal. "It's always a quick
call, but it's just unfortunate the call didn't go our way."

Red Bulls interim coach Richie Williams asked Grajeda for a
ruling on the play.

"He said he didn't have the right angle on the play," Williams
said, repeating what Grajeda told him. "From what I saw, I
thought it was a clear penalty. Calls like that are game
changers. I was very disappointed by the call."

Grajeda told a pool reporter about what he saw.

"The original play, I had a clear view," Grajeda said to the
pool reporter. "But when (Wolyniec) makes a second touch and
moves the ball forward, I lose him at this point. At this point,
I lose him between the two players. Does he get touched? Does he
touch somebody else? That's my point of view, no? Obviously, I'm
going to have to go back and review the tape."

The non-call didn't deter the Red Bulls (4-17-5), who continued
to pressure the Revolution despite having their winless streak
against them extended to 13 matches (0-7-6) - the longest in MLS
history between two teams. New York hasn't beaten New England
since a 5-4 victory Sept. 17, 2005, and is 2-11-10 versus the
Revolution since 2003."I thought we had the better of the play
in the second half," Williams said. "I thought we created
chances. We just didn't finish."

The draw enabled the Revolution (9-8-7) to move into a tie for
fourth place with Toronto FC in the Eastern Conference standings
with 34 points, two out of the eighth and final playoff spot.
New England has gotten one point in its last three matches after
a three-match winning streak.

Playing in place of leading scorer and captain Juan Pablo Angel,
who missed his second straight game with a sprained ankle,
Wolyniec received a pass from Dane Richards in front and beat
goalkeeper Matt Reis with a shot from the penalty area just as
he collided with Heaps in the 69th minute.

"It was kind of a rough day for me," Wolyniec said. "I was
trying to avoid Reis and when I landed, I rolled it pretty bad.
I'm glad we were able to rebound from the call. In the past, we
might have felt sorry for ourselves and let the game run out.
I'm proud of the way we fought back and scored."

Wolyniec was replaced by Matthew Mbuta.

The Red Bulls had a golden opportunity in the closing minutes
when Macoumba Kandji sneaked past the defensive line and broke
free toward the goal, but his shot slid just wide to the left.

"The defender (Heaps) made a smart move and kept me off
balance," Kandji said. "But there's no excuse. I should have
finished that one."

New England scored in the 13th minute, when Sainey Nyassi stole
the ball 35 yards from the goal, advanced unguarded along the
right side and unfurled a right-footed blast from 15 yards that
struck the upper right corner of the net. It was Nyassi's second
goal of the season.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[soccer]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/120708-Wolyniecs-goal-gives-Red-Bulls-draw-with-Revs</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/120708-Wolyniecs-goal-gives-Red-Bulls-draw-with-Revs</guid>
				<pubDate>Sat, 19 Sep 2009 03:10:10 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Revolution-Red Bulls Preview]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By NICOLINO DIBENEDETTO
STATS Writer

New England (9-8-6) at New York (4-17-4), 7:30 p.m. EDT

Just three weeks ago, the New England Revolution appeared to be
a serious contender for first place in the Eastern Conference.

Consecutive defeats have since dropped them out of playoff
position, but a meeting with the MLS-worst New York Red Bulls
might help.

The Revolution try continue their dominance over the Red Bulls
as they look to regain a wild-card position Friday night.

New England (9-8-6) won its season-high third straight Aug. 29,
the club's fifth victory in seven games as it began a push for
the top spot in the East after falling well behind during a
2-5-4 stretch.

The positive momentum didn't last, as the Revs fell 4-2 at home
to Kansas City on Sept. 5 and 2-0 on the road to Chivas USA on
Sunday.

The defeats have dropped New England into 11th place in the
playoff race, three points back of Colorado, Chivas and D.C.,
which are tied for the last three wild-card spots.

"You know, at this point, it's just about wins," midfielder Jeff
Larentowicz said. "Even if we had won last week, we wouldn't
really be thinking about our last game, so it's all about the
game at hand and we just need wins. So, this is a game that we
should win, and we hope to win, and we need to win."

The Revs went 7-0-5 in their last 12 meetings with New York,
which has a league-low 16 points. New England has outscored its
conference rival 19-8 during the unbeaten streak.

The Revs took the last matchup 4-0 at Giants Stadium on June 7.

"It's always going to be a tough battle against New York,"
defender Darrius Barnes said. "They have good players, but we
just have to go in there and know that we need these three
points and that this is a must-win for us, and this is how
everybody is approaching this game, that we need go into New
York and take these three points away from them."

The Revolution should get a major boost Friday from the return
of Shalrie Joseph, who served a one-game suspension during the
Chivas matchup after being issued a red card in the previous
game.

The defensive midfielder, who has also seen time at forward due
to injuries, is having an outstanding season. He has matched his
career high in goals with six while setting a career best with
eight assists.

The Red Bulls are looking to rebound from Saturday's 1-0 loss to
Kansas City. New York had won two straight following the
resignation of coach Juan Carlos Osorio on Aug. 22.

"Right now we don't have a chance to make the playoffs, but we
still have to play like we're reaching for something,"
goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul said. "Our next season starts now. We
cannot just let the games go because we need to play for our
pride, for our family, for the fans who are going to come
through rough times and easy times."

New York may be without Juan Pablo Angel for a second
consecutive game. The forward, who leads the Bulls with nine
goals, is questionable with a right ankle sprain.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[soccer]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/120377-Revolution-Red-Bulls-Preview</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/120377-Revolution-Red-Bulls-Preview</guid>
				<pubDate>Thu, 17 Sep 2009 16:53:25 GMT</pubDate>
			</item>
		
			<item>
				<title><![CDATA[Chivas downs Revolution 2-0]]></title>
				<description><![CDATA[By JOSEPH D'HIPPOLITO
STATS MLS Correspondent

CARSON, Calif. (STATS) - After losing five of its past seven
games, Chivas USA senses the urgency for a playoff push.

Maicon Santos and Sacha Kljestan scored goals, and goalkeeper
Zach Thornton finished with his ninth shutout to give Chivas USA
a 2-0 victory over the New England Revolution on Sunday.

Chivas USA (11-9-3), which broke a two-game losing streak, moved
into a tie with Colorado for fourth place in the Western
Conference and a three-way tie with D.C. United for sixth in the
overall standings.

The top two teams in each conference and the clubs with the next
four highest point totals qualify for the playoffs.

"Every game now is like a final for us," Santos said. "You can't
lose. You can't play bad. You must keep playing hard every
game."

The Brazilian forward Santos, Mexican forward Jesus Padilla and
Colombian defender Yamith Cuesta - all starters in this match -
could play major roles after being acquired on loans in the past
four weeks.

"I think they've helped us dramatically," said Chivas USA
forward Justin Braun, who made his first appearance since June 6
after suffering a concussion.

"They're all great players and they bring a very different style
to this team," Braun said. "They bring that Latin style, the
technical ability they all possess."

The Revolution (9-8-6) lost their second consecutive game after
winning three in a row. They are fifth in the East and 11th
overall, three points out of the last playoff spot.

"We had no energy," New England coach Steve Nicol said.
"Definitely in the first half, we were very poor on the ball.

"When you're coughing the ball up and giving it away, you always
wind up under pressure. We did it too often and too easily."

Santos, who signed with Chivas USA on Aug. 21, scored his first
MLS goal in the 10th minute. Braun beat defender Jay Heaps along
the right flank and crossed the ball to an unmarked Santos, who
converted from 7 yards.

"We came out of the locker room pretty good," Chivas USA coach
Preki said. "After we scored, we had five or six good looks in
the next 10 to 15 minutes.

"It's disappointing that we didn't score another goal at that
point. Then we'd have a little more breathing room. When you're
winning 1-0, you're always afraid that something is going to go
wrong somewhere."

Kljestan scored on a penalty kick in second-half stoppage time.
Chivas USA gained the penalty after Revolution goalkeeper Matt
Reis grabbed Eduardo Lillingston's right leg in the penalty area
on a breakaway, causing Lillingston to fall.

Both teams played with 10 men after the Revolution's Edgaras
Jankauskas and Chivas USA's Carey Talley were ejected in the
69th minute.

New England finished with a franchise-low two shots, and
Thornton did not need to make a save.

The Revolution played without all-star midfielder Shalrie
Joseph, who was suspended after receiving a red card Sept. 5
against Kansas City.]]></description>
				<category><![CDATA[soccer]]></category>
				<link>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/119346-Chivas-downs-Revolution-2-0</link>
				<guid>http://areyouwatchingthis.com/soccer/news/119346-Chivas-downs-Revolution-2-0</guid>
				<pubDate>Sun, 13 Sep 2009 22:29:39 GMT</pubDate>
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