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Fire-Revolution Preview

Jun 26, 2010 - 9:42 PM By MIKE LIPKA STATS Writer

Chicago (3-3-5) at New England (3-7-2), 7:00 p.m. EDT

The Chicago Fire have eliminated the New England Revolution from the playoffs each of the last two years. Unless New England's play improves down the stretch, the Fire won't have the chance to make it three in a row.

Chicago should have a good opportunity to extend its unbeaten streak to five Sunday as it visits the Revolution, who have won once in their last nine matches.

New England (3-7-2) has reached the playoffs eight straight years, qualifying for the MLS Cup four times in that stretch, but the Fire have ended the Revs' last two postseasons in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Chicago (3-3-5) also is 4-0-2 in the last six regular-season meetings.

The Fire return from the World Cup break with a 1-0-3 mark in their last four MLS games, steadying after a shaky start under first-year coach Carlos de los Cobos.

They would be coming off back-to-back victories if not for a stoppage-time goal by Colorado's Conor Casey during a 2-2 draw June 9.

Midfielder Marco Pappa scored twice for Chicago in that game, as the 22-year-old Guatemalan passed 38-year-old striker Brian McBride for the team lead with five goals.

New England, meanwhile, continues to flounder during a 1-6-2 stretch. Perhaps the Revs' worst performance of the season came in their final MLS game before the break, getting outshot 19-2 in a 3-0 loss at Seattle on June 5.

"There is nothing we can take away from this game that is positive," coach Steve Nicol said. "We need to sit down with what we are doing and figure out how we are going to get results."

New England got more bad news this week when the franchise's all-time leading scorer, Taylor Twellman, was placed on the season-ending injury list. Twellman has been limited to two games since suffering a concussion nearly two years ago against Los Angeles.

Newly reacquired Steve Ralston (dislocated elbow) and fellow midfielder Joseph Niouky (suspension) will also miss Sunday's game, but the Revs are hoping to have goalkeeper Matt Reis in net for the first time in an MLS game this year following offseason shoulder and knee surgeries.

"I'm getting there," Reis told the Revs' official website. "Every day it's a little bit better. It's going to be a game-time decision."

New England could certainly use some help in the back. The team has allowed 20 goals, third-worst in MLS ahead of only D.C. United and the expansion Philadelphia Union.

Preston Burpo, the keeper who had been filling in, broke his leg last month, and Bobby Shuttleworth gave up three goals in the first 42 minutes of his MLS debut at Seattle.