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July 20, 2008
NOT SO SUPER
Chivas knocked out by Revs, Pachuca
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Ante Razov scored for the sixth time in as many games.
Linida Cuttone/Sports Vue Images |
FULLERTON, Calif. – Ante Razov scored for the sixth straight game, but New England’s Shalrie Joseph netted a late equalizer as the Revolution tied Chivas USA 1-1 to clinch first place in Group B of SuperLiga 2008 at Cal State Fullerton’s Titan Stadium on Sunday night
With the result, the Revs (2-0-1, 7 pts.) finished undefeated in group play of the competition, setting up a meeting in the semifinal round with the most recent Mexican Apertura champion, Atlante, on Wednesday, July 30, at Gillette Stadium. Atlante (2-1-0, 6 pts.) finished second in Group A, beating CD Guadalajara in a head-to-head tiebreaker.
“Obviously we are disappointed,” said Chivas USA assistant coach Mike Matkovich who is handling the team while Preki is in his native Serbia attending to family-related issues. “With 12 minutes away, we lose a mark on a dead ball, we give up a soft goal. We’ve got a guy on the post and the goalkeeper gets his hands on it and then it squeaks in.”
Chances were limited in the opening half of Sunday night’s match, as both teams struggled to maintain possession on the choppy playing surface. The first serious chance of the contest fell to the Revs in the 24th minute, when Steve Ralston’s long free kick from near midfield was driven into the box to defender Chris Albright, who flicked a header just wide of the right post with his back to goal.
Seven minutes later, Chivas USA threatened for the first time. Midfielder Sacha Kljestan’s long-range drive was blocked, but the deflection looped over the Revs’ backline and into the path of Razov, whose bouncing, left-footed volley was pawed away by Reis.
Reis was forced into another save in the 42nd minute, this time diving full-stretch to deny Jesse Marsch. The Chivas USA midfielder lined up a left-footed drive from 20 yards out, and his effort appeared to be heading for the upper right corner. However, Reis dove to his left to push the ball around the post and out for a corner kick.
The Revolution had a great chance to take the lead less than a minute into the second half, but Dan Kennedy denied Sainey Nyassi with his first save of the match. Joseph’s long, diagonal pass from well behind the midfield stripe was controlled well by Nyassi in the right side of the area, as the Gambian jumped over Goats’ defender Francisco Mendoza and brought the ball down with his chest. However, Nyassi’s low shot was smothered by Kennedy, who had come charging off his line.
Razov had two more opportunities to put Chivas USA on the board in the 52nd and 56th minutes, respectively, but failed to find the back of the net on either occasion. First, he was denied by Reis, then he sent a flashing volley inches wide of the right post.
The Goats’ forward finally converted one of his chances in the 59th minute, finishing his own rebound after having his initial shot saved. After being sent on a breakaway down the left side, Razov had his first effort saved by Reis, but the ball squirted under the Revs’ goalkeeper and bounced toward goal. Razov was first to the rebound and finished high into the net past a pair of backtracking New England defenders.
The Revs responded to the goal by replacing defender Amaechi Igwe with midfielder Khano Smith in the 69th minute and switching from a 4-4-2 formation to a 3-5-2 setup, as Smith took over on the left side and Ralston moved into an attacking midfield role.
Just nine minutes later, New England was rewarded for its tactical change with the equalizing goal. Ralston’s corner kick from the right side swung to Joseph near the penalty spot, and the Grenada National Team member’s powerful header was driven low to the left side of the net. Kennedy appeared to get his hand behind the shot, but the ball slipped under him and just across the goal line before an attempted clearance by Goats’ midfielder Daniel Paladini.
After drawing level, the Revs seemed content to defend for the final 10 minutes and secure the point, knowing that the result would clinch top spot in the group. Reis finished with six saves for the Revs, while Kennedy stopped one shot between the pipes for Chivas USA.
If New England defeats Atlante in its semifinal match, the club will host the SuperLiga 2008 Final at Gillette Stadium on Tuesday, Aug. 5. Following SuperLiga, the Revs will resume their MLS regular-season schedule on Saturday, Aug. 9, when they will host the Chicago Fire at Gillette Stadium.
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