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Kheli Dube scored the Revs' goal against Santos Laguna Sunday. (Photo credit: Joyce Furia). |
“With the amount of possession we had I would have liked us to create a bit more,” said Revs’ coach Steve Nicol. “At the same time, they defended real well and had guys in good position to defend. When we turned it over they were real sharp trying to break on us, so that was a good team we played tonight and we should be happy to beat them one-nil."
The Revs first chance came in the 12th minute when Kenny Mansally found Steve Ralston just inside the box. Ralston turned his defender and dribbled towards the six yard box, before unleashing a shot, but saw it blocked by a Santos defender. The shot deflected to Shalrie Joseph, who had some space, but sent his shot well high of the target.
Reis came up big on the best chance of the half in the 35th minute. Edgar Castillo picked up the ball on the left flank, after Sainey Nyassi momentarily stole the ball, but couldn't control it. Castillo sent a cross in towards the six yard box, where Oribe Peralta managed to power a header on frame. Reis was well positioned to tip the ball away from the net.
In the 39th minute Juan Pablo Rodriguez elbowed Nyassi in the face as the latter was playing a pass to Jeff Larentowicz. Referee Enrico Wijngaarde didn't notice the foul, but after the play his assistant alerted him to the foul and Wijngaarde pulled out the red card to reduce Santos to ten men. Castillo also received a yellow on the play for dissent.
The Revs started the match in a 4-4-2 formation with left midfielder Mauricio Castro and strikers Taylor Twellman and Adam Cristman all out due to injury. Ralston started at left midfield and Amaechi Igwe got the start at left back.
The Revolution switched things up in the 58th minute bringing on Khano Smith for Mansally. The Bermudian international moved to the left flank, while Ralston moved up top. Seven minutes later, Nicol changed things further, bringing on Pat Phelan for Igwe and moving him to the midfield to switch to a 3-5-2. The move gave the Revs even more possession and forced the shorthanded Pachuca to bring more men into defense in the middle of the field.
The moves paid off when Dube put the Revs on top in the 70th minute. Nyassi stripped a Santos Laguna defender on the right flank and played a ball back to Steve Ralston, who continued it back to Dube. The Zimbabwean rookie sent a low shot into the far corner of the net that 'keeper Oswaldo Sanchez got a hand to, but couldn't keep out of the net.
"It was a mistake from the left back, so I capitalized on it," said Nyassi. "I kept going inside the box and decided to lay it back for Steve Ralston. In the first half I was trying to make a lot of crosses in front, but they defended all those. This time I just tried to lay it back.”
"It was a good ball for Sainey and Ralston made a good dummy, so I was just making sure I finished the goal," said Dube.
In the other SuperLiga Group B game of the night Pachuca beat Chivas USA 2-1, so the Revs sit tied atop the group with Pachuca, who they face on Wednesday at Gillette Stadium.
"[Getting the win] is huge," said Nicol. "It settles everybody down and it means whatever happens the third game is huge. It would be nice to win on Wednesday and then if we did that it would be pretty safe that we would probably move through, but we take nothing for granted. Pachuca is a great team and obviously Chivas USA away is tough, so it's great to get three points on the board, but we've still got a fair bit to do before we go any further."
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