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Kenny Mansally will likely get the start in place of the injured Taylor Twellman. (CHRIS ADUAMA/aduama.com) |
"We expect the battle that it always is," said defender Michael Parkhurst. "We've got quite the rivalry with Chicago. Obviously they have had some success against us this year, but we don't really concentrate on those games now. They are in the past. We really need to focus on who we are and guys stepping up and taking some leadership and younger guys stepping up now. They had a chance early on in the season with a bunch of injuries to step up and get some playing time and they got the job done then. Hopefully we can use that experience here in the playoffs now that we need it."
The Revs, who finished the season on a six-game winless streak, will be without top scorers Taylor Twellman (concussion-related symptoms) and Steve Ralston (right fibula fracture) due to injury. Also missing will be defender Gabriel Badilla and midfielder Khano Smith who picked up needless red cards in the Revolution's meaningless final regular season game. Smith's suspension has been extended to three games.
Head Coach Steve Nicol will be forced to make adjustments to the lineup with four key starters unavailable. It appears, however, that Nicol will still use a 4-4-2 formation, despite it producing only one win when used by the team during the regular season. That will likely mean Jay Heaps slides into the middle of the defense next to Parkhurst and either Chris Tierney or Amaechi Igwe starts at left back. In the midfield, Mauricio Castro will likely move to the left wing and Sainey Nyassi should get the start on the right. Up top, Kenny Mansally should fill in for Twellman and partner with Kheli Dube.
The Fire and Revolution have quite the playoff history. The two teams have met six different times in the playoffs, with the Revs prevailing four times, including in each of the last three years. In fact, the Revs have ended the Fire's season four years in a row.
Revs Notes:
In addition to having his suspension extended an extra two games, Smith was also fined $1,000 Wednesday by the MLS Disciplinary Committee.
Smith was shown a red card for serious foul play after a tackle on Kansas City Wizards forward Herculez Gomez in the 42nd minute of the Revolution’s 3-1 loss Saturday. The Committee found that Smith made an egregious challenge that endangered the safety of his opponent. This fine and suspension are in addition to the automatic one-game suspension and $250 fine for the red card totaling a three-game suspension and a $1,250 fine.
Smith will begin serving the suspension tonight against the Fire and will miss the second leg of the Conference Semifinal on Nov. 6. If the Revs fail to advance past Chicago, Smith will miss the opening game of the 2009 regular season.
Nicol was also fined by MLS. He was docked $1,000 for public criticism of Major League Soccer.
"You can argue that it is a penalty, that it isn't a penalty, but for me the referee shows a complete lack of understanding in the situation,” Nicol said to SNE, referring to the red card on Badilla, after the game Saturday. “This is the last regular season game, both teams are in the playoffs. If someone deserves to get sent off, then send them off and they'll miss the playoffs, but to send Badilla off in this situation just shows a lack of understanding."
Nick Williams contributed to this report.
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