Revolution open season against the Fire April 7th

from MLSNET.com
The New England Revolution opens the 2007 Major League Soccer season against one of its biggest rivals, the Chicago Fire, this Saturday, April 7, at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Ill.

Coach Steve Nicol and his team are coming off yet another successful season, finishing second in the Eastern Conference table in 2006, with a 12-8-12 record and 48 points in the regular season. The Revs won their third Eastern Conference Championship in their fifth straight appearance in the conference final. The Revs also made their third appearance in the MLS Cup, finishing as runners-up for the second year in a row.

Chicago finished 2006 in third place in the East, just one point below the Revs, with a 13-11-8 record and 47 points. Matched against each other in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the teams needed two 15-minute extra-time periods and penalty kicks to decide a series champion, as the Revs topped the Fire, 4-2 in kicks to advance to the Eastern Conference Championship.

After Chicago midfielder Justin Mapp put Chicago ahead, 1-0, on aggregate in Game 1 of the series with his 35th-minute free-kick goal at Toyota Park on Oct. 22, former Fire forward Nate Jaqua pushed Chicago’s advantage to two goals in the 18th minute of Game 2 at Gillette Stadium six days later.

However, Revs All-Star forward Taylor Twellman struck back in the 41st minute with a goal to cut Chicago’s aggregate lead to one goal, and Pat Noonan leveled series at two goals apiece in the 58th minute. The teams played two scoreless extra-time sessions, sending the series to penalty kicks.

Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis stopped Thiago’s first penalty kick for Chicago before former Revs midfielder José Cancela put New England ahead, 1-0. Leading 3-2 in kicks, Reis then saved Ivan Guerrero’s kick, allowing Twellman to step up and score the series-winning penalty kick in front of the Revs’ faithful fans.

New England’s series victory marked the third time since 2002 that the Revs had eliminated Chicago from the postseason, following 2002’s win in the Eastern Conference Semifinals and 2005’s victory in the Eastern Conference Championship. The Fire ended the Revolution’s season in 2003, winning the Eastern Conference Final in overtime at Soldier Field.

Throughout the course of the rivalry, the Revs and Fire have been closely matched. New England holds the edge in the all-time series, finishing the 2006 season with a 12-10-6 in regular season matches and a 17-17-6 record in all-time competitions, including the MLS Cup Playoffs and the U.S. Open Cup.

In 2006, Chicago won the season series, going 2-1-1 against the Revs in MLS regular-season games. The Fire’s victories both came at Gillette Stadium, a pair of one-goal wins on April 30 (2-1 on New England’s home opener) and August 20 (1-0). Conversely, the Revolution spoiled Chicago’s first-ever game at its new soccer-specific home, Toyota Park, with a 3-3 come-from-behind draw in stoppage time after the Fire held a 3-1 lead in the 91st minute. In the second meeting, goals by Steve Ralston and Andy Dorman propelled the Revs to a 2-1 victory.

The Revs had an up-and-down season in 2006, suffering a string of injuries to regular starters and losing two key players for almost two months because of the World Cup. New England opened the season with a 4-4-6 record during the first three months of the year, but closed out the season undefeated in the final seven regular-season games, going 5-0-2.

The Revs have seemingly ridden their late-season success into the new 2007 campaign, completing their six-game preseason schedule with a 6-0-0 record and having outscored their opponents by a combined 21-3.

Rookie forward Adam Cristman led the Revs in scoring during the preseason, despite missing two games while training and playing with the U.S. Under-23 Team. A fourth-round draft pick out of Virginia, Cristman scored five goals and tallying four assists to lead all Revs players.

Perennial MLS All-Star and former league MVP Taylor Twellman, too, got his share of excitement in the preseason. He scored four goals in a 7-0 victory against Inter Playa del Carmen of Mexico’s Segunda Division while the team was in Cancun, Mexico. He was also called into U.S. National Team camp in advance of its pair of March friendlies.

In addition to Cristman, the Revs have brought in what promises to be a successful class of rookies this year, including Wells Thompson, Amaechi Igwe and Ryan Solle. Solle joined Cristman with the U.S. Under-23 Team in February, and Igwe has twice been called into camp with the U.S. Under-20 Team.

Known for his keen eye for young talent and his draft-day acumen, Nicol is impressed with the rookies’ early performances, as well. Each has been working hard to earn a on the 18-man squad that will travel to face the Fire this weekend.

"So far we’ve been very pleased with them," Nicol said. "In the preseason they’ve done very well, but in the preseason it’s a different ball game than when it comes to the real game, the league games. But again, we’re optimistic that they’ll carry on with what they’ve done."

Historically, Twellman has been known to be successful against Chicago, posting 11 goals and five assists in 19 games against the Fire. Ralston, too, has had success against the "Men In Red," posting five goals and seven assists in 28 games throughout his career against the team.

In the offseason, the Fire lost several key players from their 2006 squad, including forwards Andy Herron and Nate Jaqua who together scored 17 goals for the team last year. Goalkeeper Zach Thornton was traded to the Rapids for a conditional pick in the 2008 Supplemental Draft. Thornton posted seven shutouts and added a 1.25 goals against average for the Fire in 2006. Chicago will rely heavily on veterans Chris Rolfe, Thiago and Chad Barrett to push them through the season. Additionally, Matt Pickens emerged as the team’s number one option in net for the Fire, backing the team to the 2006 U.S. Open Cup title after Thornton was forced to miss time with an injury.

Reis - who trained with Pickens and Mapp at U.S. National Team camps in January and February - noted that, even though the Fire has seen some roster changes, the game will still be tough.

"Each season is a new season," Reis said. "They’ve added a few new players and have gotten rid of a few players so it’s going to be a different look for them. But, whenever you go to Chicago it’s going to be a tough game. I’m sure with the end of the season last year, it’s definitely in the back of their mind. It’s just important for us to get out and get back to a good start."

This year the Revs open the season with a road heavy schedule, traveling six of their first eight games. New England’s home opener is a doubleheader on Saturday, April 14, against new MLS expansion club Toronto FC at Gillette Stadium at 7:30 p.m. on TV38. Before the match the US Women’s National Team will face the Mexican Women’s National Team at 5 p.m.

For ticket information and to learn how you can get in on the action call 1-877-GET-REVS